News Excerpt:

World Elephant Day is celebrated annually on August 12 to raise awareness about the urgent plight of elephants and the need for their protection. Established in 2012, this day focuses on the conservation and preservation of both African and Asian elephants.

Theme for the World Elephant Day 2024

• “Personifying prehistoric beauty, theological relevance, and environmental importance.”  

About Asian Elephant:

• Indian elephants, a subspecies of the Asian elephant, are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent and make up about 60% of the total Asian elephant population.
• These intelligent creatures form intricate social structures, with females living in closely bonded family units led by elder matriarchs, while males often lead solitary lives.
• Unlike their African relatives, Indian elephants have smaller, more rounded ears and more compact bodies.
• The IUCN Red List has classified Indian elephants as endangered since 1986, with their population declining by 11% over the past 30 years.

• Convention of the Migratory Species (CMS): Appendix I

• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

• India hosts the largest and most stable population of Asian elephants, with the most recent census in 2017 recording 29,964 elephants.

App to reduce deaths by elephants launched in India:

• The Indian state of Assam has introduced a new mobile app designed to reduce the number of deaths caused by wild elephants.
• Named the Haati app, it alerts users to the presence of approaching elephant herds, allowing them to take precautions and avoid danger.
• The Haati app, developed by Aaranyak—a biodiversity organization based in northeastern India—aims to address this issue.
• The app includes a feature for victims and their families to apply for compensation from local authorities in cases of injury or death resulting from elephant attacks.
• Assam, home to one of India's largest elephant populations, has experienced a high incidence of conflicts between elephants and humans.
• Conservationists attribute the increasing aggressiveness of elephants in the region to shrinking habitats and the encroachment on their traditional migration corridors.
• Official data indicates that between 2020 and 2024, elephants were responsible for the deaths of 1,701 people in India.