Elephant population up

Elephant population has increased by 2,000 in the past 15 years in the country taking their number to 28,000, as per the latest data provided by environment ministry.

Elephant population has increased by 2,000 in the past 15 years in the country taking their number to 28,000, as per the latest data provided by environment ministry.

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The ministry, however, said it does not maintain statistics on the death of elephants and their disappearance. According to the 2007 census, there are 27,669 to 27,715 elephants in its various reserves and habitats as against 25,604 in 1993.

A maximum of 14,005 tuskers are in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra followed by 9,305-9,355 in northeastern regions with Assam having the highest number of 5,281 pachyderms.

The census of elephants is undertaken at an interval of five years and the last was done in 2007.