Elephant Reserves in India – As of August 2023, there are a total of 33 Elephant Reserves in India. Lemru Elephant Reserve in Chhattisgarh, Agsthyamalai Elephant Reserve in Tamil Nadu, and Terai Elephant Reserve in Uttar Pradesh are the 31st, 32nd, and 33rd elephant reserves in India.
In this post, we will read about all 32 Elephant Reserves of India and see the state-wise status of Elephant Reserves of all the states by the map. This article is based on the questions asked in various exams of the year 2022 and if you are preparing for any exam like UPSC, IAS, SSC MTS, SSC GD, SSC CHSL, SSC CGL, SSC CPO, NDA, CDS, Bank PO, IBPS If you are preparing for then this post will be important for you.
Elephant
The elephant is also considered one of the largest and most powerful animals on Earth. Generally, it is a wild animal though it can also live as a pet in aviaries or at home with humans after proper training. Its color is usually grey, but in some places, white elephants are also found. Its eyes are tiny in comparison to the body. The elephant is a member of the Elephantidae family and is also a mammal. The scientific name of the elephant is Elephant Maximus.
There are 3 types of elephants found in the world.
- African Bush Elephant
- African Forest Elephant
- Asian Elephant
Elephant Population in the World
Most of the world’s elephants reside in the country of Botswana in the African continent, where their number is more than 1,30,000. According to a WWF report, there are about 4,15,000 African and 40000-50000 Asian elephants left in the world.
World Elephant Day is celebrated every year on 12 August to mark the importance of elephants and create awareness about their conservation.
Global Status of Elephants
African elephants are included in the vulnerable category in the IUCN Red List while Asian elephants are placed in the endangered category.
Indian elephants are included in the list of most protected species as per Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and Appendix I of CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), and African elephants are included in Appendix I & II.
Elephant Population in India
- Elephants are counted in India every 5 years.
- The final report of the census of elephants in the year 2017 was released in 2019, according to which there are 27312 elephants in India and they are found in 23 Indian states.
- Captive elephants were also counted for the first time by the Ministry of Forest, Environment, and Climate Change.
- There are a total of 2454 captive elephants in India, out of which the maximum is found in the state of Assam (905).
- Elephants are calculated from the Elephant Dung Decay Formula.
The state-wise number of elephants in India as per the 2017 census is given in the following table.
| S.N. | State | Elephants Population |
| 1. | Karnataka | 6049 |
| 2. | Assam | 5719 |
| 3. | Kerala | 3054 |
| 4. | Tamil Nadu | 2761 |
| 5. | Odisha | 1976 |
The state of Karnataka is home to 22% of India’s elephants, 18% of tigers, and 14% of leopards.
Elephants in India
- The elephant was declared a national heritage animal by the Government of India in the year 2010.
- In the COP 13 of CMS, the Asian elephant was included in Threatened Migratory Species in Appendix I.
- The first elephant hospital in India was established in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh.
- India’s first elephant rehabilitation center was established in Kottur, Kerala.
- The first elephant memorial in India was built by NGO Wildlife SOS on the Agra Mathura Highway.
Elephant Corridor in India
- An elephant corridor is a narrow stretch of land that connects two elephant habitats.
- According to the Wildlife Trust of India, there are 101 elephant corridors in India, part of the National Elephant Corridor Project.
- There are 20 elephant corridors in South India, 12 in the North-Western region, 20 in the Central region, 14 in West Bengal, and 22 in North-Eastern India.
Project Elephant
- Project Elephant was started by the Government of India in the year 1992 for the protection of elephants and human-elephant conflicts and captive elephants.
- Project Elephant is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
- At present, the total number of Elephant Reserves in India is 32 and it is spread over an area of 76,508 sq km in 14 states.
- The elephant is the state animal of Karnataka, Kerala, and Jharkhand states of India.
- The Singhbhum Elephant Reserve, located in the state of Jharkhand, was declared India’s first elephant reserve in September 2001.
Latest Elephant Reserves in India
Following are the 3 latest Elephant Reserves in India.
30th Elephant Reserve in India
- The 30th Elephant Reserve of India is the Singphan Elephant Reserve located in Nagaland. It was given the status of Elephant Reserve in the year 2018.
- It is located in the Mon district of Nagaland state and is adjacent to the Abhaypur Reserve Forest of Assam state.
- The total area of Singphan Elephant Reserve is 5825 acres.
31st Elephant Reserve in India
- In August 2022, the Agasthamalai Elephant Reserve in Tamil Nadu was announced as India’s 31st Elephant Reserve.
- The Agasthamalai Elephant Reserve is spread over an area of 1197 sq km and is located in Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.
32nd Elephant Reserve in India
- In December 2022, the Terai Elephant Reserve in Dudhwa National Park in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh state was declared as India’s 32nd elephant reserve and Uttar Pradesh’s second.
- Its total area is 3049 sq km.
Largest and Smallest Elephant Reserves in India
- The Mysore Elephant Reserve located in the state of Karnataka is the largest in India.
- Itanki Elephant Reserve located in the state of Nagaland is the smallest elephant reserve in India.
State Wise List of Elephant Reserves in India
All the state-wise Elephant Reserves in India are given below along with the map.
Elephant Reserves in Assam
There are a total of 5 Elephant Reserves in Assam, whose names are as follows and shown in the map below.
| S.N. | Elephant Reserve Name | Designation Year | Area |
| 1. | Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve | 2003 | 2600 km2 |
| 2. | Sonitpur Elephant Reserve | 2003 | 1420 km2 |
| 3. | Dihing-Patkai Elephant Reserve | 2003 | 937 km2 |
| 4. | Dhansiri-Langding Elephant Reserve | 2003 | 2740 km2 |
| 5. | Kaziranga Karbi-Anglong Elephant Reserve | 2003 | 3270 km2 |
All the Elephant Reserves in Assam are marked on the map below.
Elephant Reserves in Tamil Nadu
There are a total of 5 Elephant Reserves in Tamil Nadu, whose names are as follows and shown in the map below.
| S.N. | Elephant Reserve Name | Designation Year | Area |
| 1. | Nilgiri Elephant Reserve | 2003 | 4663 km2 |
| 2. | Coimbatore Elephant Reserve | 2003 | 566 km2 |
| 3. | Anamalai Elephant Reserve | 2003 | 1457 km2 |
| 4. | Srivilliputtur Elephant Reserve | 2003 | 1249 km2 |
| 5. | Agsthyamalai Elephant Reserve | 2022 | 1197.5 km2 |
All the Elephant Reserves in Tamil Nadu are marked on the map below.
Elephant Reserves in Kerala
There are a total of 4 Elephant Reserves in Kerala, whose names are as follows and shown in the map below.
| S.N. | Elephant Reserve Name | Designation Year | Area |
| 1. | Wayanad Elephant Reserve | 2002 | 1200 km2 |
| 2. | Nilambur Elephant Reserve | 2002 | 1419 km2 |
| 3. | Anamudi Elephant Reserve | 2002 | 3728 km2 |
| 4. | Periyar Elephant Reserve | 2002 | 3742 km2 |
All the Elephant Reserves in Kerala are marked on the map below.
Elephant Reserves in Odisha
There are a total of 3 Elephant Reserves in Odisha, whose names are as follows and shown in the map below.
| S.N. | Elephant Reserve Name | Designation Year | Area |
| 1. | Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve | 2001 | 3214 km2 |
| 2. | Mahanadi Elephant Reserve | 2002 | 1038 km2 |
| 3. | Sambalpur Elephant Reserve | 2002 | 427 km2 |
Batami Elephant Reserve is proposed in the state of Odisha.
All the Elephant Reserves in Odisha are marked on the map below.
All the Elephant Reserves in Odisha are marked on the map below.
Elephant Reserves in Karnataka
There are a total of 2 Elephant Reserves in Karnataka, whose names are as follows and shown in the map below.
| S.N. | Elephant Reserve Name | Designation Year | Area |
| 1. | Mysore Elephant Reserve | 2002 | 6724 km2 |
| 2. | Dandeli Elephant Reserve | 2015 | 2321 km2 |
All the Elephant Reserves in Karnataka are marked on the map below.
Elephant Reserves in Arunachal Pradesh
There are a total of 2 Elephant Reserves in Arunachal Pradesh, whose names are as follows and shown in the map below.
| S.N. | Elephant Reserve Name | Designation Year | Area |
| 1. | Kameng Elephant Reserve | 2002 | 1892 km2 |
| 2. | South Arunachal Elephant Reserve | 2008 | 1957 km2 |
All the Elephant Reserves in Arunachal Pradesh are marked on the map below.
Elephant Reserves in West Bengal
There are a total of 2 Elephant Reserves in West Bengal, whose names are as follows and shown in the map below.
| S.N. | Elephant Reserve Name | Designation Year | Area |
| 1. | Mayurjharna Elephant Reserve | 2002 | 414 km2 |
| 2. | Eastern Dooars Elephant Reserve | 2002 | 978 km2 |
All the Elephant Reserves in West Bengal are marked on the map below.
Elephant Reserves in Nagaland
There are a total of 2 Elephant Reserves in Nagaland, whose names are as follows and shown in the map below.
| S.N. | Elephant Reserve Name | Designation Year | Area |
| 1. | Intanki Elephant Reserve | 2005 | 202 km2 |
| 2. | Singphan Elephant Reserve | 2018 | 23.5 km2 |
All the Elephant Reserves in Nagaland are marked on the map below.
Elephant Reserves in Uttar Pradesh
There are a total of 2 Elephant Reserves in Uttar Pradesh, whose names are as follows and shown in the map below.
| S.N. | Elephant Reserve Name | Designation Year | Area |
| 1. | Uttar Pradesh Elephant Reserve | 2009 | 744 km2 |
| 2. | Terai Elephant Reserve | 2022 | 3049 km2 |
All the Elephant Reserves in Uttar Pradesh are marked in the map below.
Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand
There is only 1 Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand, whose name is Singhbhum Elephant Reserve, designated in 2001 with a total area of 4530 km2.
Elephant Reserve in Andhra Pradesh
There is only 1 Elephant reserve in Andhra Pradesh, namely, Rayala Elephant Reserve, designated in 2003 with a total area of 766 km2.
Elephant Reserve in Meghalaya
There is only 1 Elephant Reserves in Meghalaya, namely Garo Hills Elephant Reserve, designated in 2001 with a total area of 3500 km2
Khasi Hills Elephant Reserve is also proposed in the state of Meghalaya, but it has not been officially given the status of Elephant Reserve.
Elephant Reserve in Uttarakhand
There is only 1 Elephant Reserves in Uttarakhand, whose name is Shivalik Elephant Reserve, designated in 2002 with a total area of 5405 km2
Elephant Reserve in Chhattisgarh
There is only 1 Elephant reserve in Chhattisgarh, namely, Badalkhol-Tamorpingla Elephant Reserve, designated in 2011 with a total area of 1048 km2.
The creation of Lemru Elephant Reserve was approved by the Central Government in the year 2007, but it is not officially an Elephant Reserve. This elephant reserve is proposed in the Korba district of Chhattisgarh.
Important questions related to Elephant Reserves in India
Question – By the year 2024, how many elephant reserves are there in India?
Answer – By the year 2024, the total number of elephant reserves in India is 33.
Question – In which year was Project Elephant started in India?
Answer – Project Elephant was started in the year 1992 by the Ministry of Forest and Environment of the Central Government to reduce the conflict between humans and elephants and to conserve elephants.
Question – Which is the first Elephant Reserve in India?
Answer – The Singhbhum Elephant Reserve located in the state of Jharkhand was declared as India’s first Elephant Reserve in September 2001.
Question – Which is the largest Elephant Reserve in India in terms of area?
Answer – The Mysore Elephant Reserve located in Karnataka is the largest elephant reserve in India in terms of area.
Question – Which is the smallest Elephant Reserve in India in terms of area?
Answer – Itanki Elephant Reserve located in Nagaland is the smallest Elephant Reserve in terms of area in India.
Question – Which is the latest Elephant Reserve in India?
Answer – Simhphan Elephant Reserve in the state of Nagaland, Augustamalai Elephant Reserve in the state of Tamil Nadu, and Terai Elephant Reserve in Uttar Pradesh are India’s latest elephant reserves.
Question – Which state of India has the maximum number of elephants?
Answer – According to the latest census of 2017, the state of Karnataka has the highest number of elephants in India. Karnataka state has 6049.
Question – In which year the elephant was declared as the national heritage animal of India?
Answer – The elephant was declared a national heritage animal by the Government of India in the year 2010.
Question – Which is the 30th Elephant Reserve of India?
Answer – The 30th Elephant Reserve of India is the Simhaphan Elephant Reserve located in Nagaland. It was given the status of Elephant Reserve in the year 2018.
Question – Which is the 32nd Elephant Reserve of India?
Answer – In August 2022, the Agasthamalai Elephant Reserve in Tamil Nadu was declared as India’s 32nd Elephant Reserve
Question – Which is the 33rd Elephant Reserve of India?
Answer – In December 2022, the Terai Elephant Reserve in Dudhwa National Park in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh state was declared as India’s 33rd Elephant Reserve.
So in this way, in this post, we have read Project Elephant, the number of elephants in the world and India, their global status, and all 33 Elephant Reserves of India through the map, so if you like this post then share it with your friends too.