1,209 elephants died in Assam during 2000-2023

Electrocution emerged as the leading cause of human-induced mortality, accounting for 209 elephant deaths during the 23-year period, the Wildlife Institute of India report released recently says

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Human-elephant conflicts in Assam have claimed over 1,400 lives during 2000-2023, while 1,209 pachyderms died in the state during the same period with majority 626 fatalities due to anthropogenic activities, a Wildlife Institute of India (WII) report has said.

Electrocution emerged as the leading cause of human-induced mortality, accounting for 209 elephant deaths during the 23-year period, the report released recently said.

The other major causes of unnatural death of pachyderms over the period were accidental deaths (127), various other anthropogenic stressors (97), train collisions (67), poaching (55), poisoning (62), retaliatory killings (5) and vehicle collisions (4).

Of the 583 fatalities due to natural causes, 'natural deaths' accounted for the maximum number of elephant deaths at 344 which includes old age, heart attacks and stillbirths, drowning, struck by lightning, falling from hills, etc.