In News:

World Elephant Day 2025 was celebrated on August 12 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. The event focused on human–elephant conflict (HEC) mitigation and reaffirmed global commitment to elephant conservation.

About World Elephant Day

• Launched in 2012 by Patricia Sims (Canada) and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand.
• Aims to promote conservation of elephants, raise awareness on threats like habitat loss, poaching, and HEC, and encourage human–elephant coexistence.

Elephants in India

• India holds 60% of the global wild elephant population.
• 33 Elephant Reserves and 150 Elephant Corridors (as per 2023 Report).
• Elephants are recognised as National Heritage Animal of India.
• Legal and institutional backing provided through Project Elephant (1992), Wildlife Protection Act, and corridor conservation measures.

Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC)

• Rising incidents of elephants entering human settlements due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and search for food/water.
• The Coimbatore workshop under World Elephant Day 2025 brought together policymakers, foresters, conservationists, and civil society to share best practices.
• Measures discussed: habitat management, corridor maintenance, awareness campaigns, and capacity building in high-conflict areas.
• Focus on balancing wildlife conservation with human safety through community participation and scientific approaches.

Public Participation

• 12 lakh students from 5,000 schools across India joined awareness programmes.
• Citizen outreach emphasised coexistence, youth engagement, and long-term behavioural change in society.

Conservation Status (IUCN Red List)

• Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus): Endangered.
• African Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta africana): Endangered.
• African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis): Critically Endangered.

Ecological Importance of Elephants

• Keystone species: maintain grasslands, disperse seeds, create water holes, and support biodiversity.
• Social structure: Matriarch-led herds with strong communal care for calves; males often solitary or in small groups.
• Long gestation (22 months) and slow reproduction make them vulnerable to population decline.