On the occasion of World Elephant Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the significance of community efforts in elephant conservation and reiterated his government’s commitment to providing secure and supportive habitats for these majestic animals.
“World Elephant Day offers an opportunity to recognize the extensive community efforts to safeguard elephants. We also renew our pledge to do everything possible to ensure that elephants have a habitat where they can flourish. In India, elephants are deeply connected to our culture and history. It is heartening to see their numbers increase in recent years,” said Modi.
The Prime Minister’s comments come against the backdrop of rising human-elephant conflicts in the country, which have resulted in 2,829 human deaths due to elephant attacks over the past five years. During the same period, India lost 528 elephants to unnatural causes such as electrocution, train accidents, poaching, and poisoning.
Habitat loss and fragmentation are frequently cited as the primary causes of these conflicts in India, which is home to 60% of the world’s Asian elephant population. The country currently has nearly 30,000 wild elephants and around 3,600 in captivity. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav also called for greater public involvement in the conservation of elephants.
