Finance
On World Elephant Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to building a sustainable habitat for elephants, emphasizing their cultural and historical significance in India.
Taking to his X handle, the Prime Minister wrote: “World Elephant Day is an occasion to appreciate the wide range of community efforts to protect elephants. At the same time, we reaffirm our commitment to doing everything possible to ensure elephants get a conducive habitat where they can thrive.”
PM Modi also highlighted the deep cultural and historical connection Indians have with elephants.
“For us in India, the elephant is linked to our culture and history, too. And it’s gladdening that over the last few years, their numbers have been on the rise,” he added, stressing the historical and cultural significance of the animal.
World Elephant Day, observed annually on August 12, aims to raise awareness of the critical need to protect elephants in Asia and Africa, promote their conservation, and assure their survival.
As the global elephant population declines, India has taken considerable steps to conserve the animal by building various national parks and sanctuaries that provide a suitable habitat for elephants and other wildlife.
In a recent event, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin announced that the state’s elephant population has increased by 100 from the previous year. According to the 2024 elephant census, the wild elephant population in Tamil Nadu has increased to 3,063, up from 2,971 in 2023.
The three-day synchronized elephant census, held in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh on May 23, 24, and 25, indicated that these four South Indian states account for about 44% of India’s total wild elephant population, which is estimated to be over 27,000.
2,178 forest staff took part in the census, including forest watchers, guards, rangers, and wildlife non-governmental organization volunteers.
Other states with large elephant populations are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh.
India’s continual efforts to maintain and conserve its elephant population reflect the country’s overall commitment to preserving its rich biodiversity and natural heritage.
Source:IANS
