Guwahati (Assam) [India], January 2(ANI): In a positive development, the elephant population in Assam has increased and the number has gone up to 5,828.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Assam Forest Department has recently conducted the elephant population estimation in Assam 2024.

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"The last survey was conducted in Assam in 2017 and it recorded 5,719 elephants in the state. Which has increased to 5,828 in 2024. This is a positive wave for wildlife conservation in Assam," Biswa Sarma said.

In a post on social media platform X, He also commended the efforts of the Forest Department in elephant conservation. The survey was conducted after seven years.

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https://x.com/himantabiswa/status/1874711836572139538

According to the data of the Assam forest department, in 2002 the elephant population in Assam was 5246 and it had increased to 5281 in 2008.

In 2011 the elephant population in Assam was 5620. In October 2024, a wild elephant was found dead in a paddy field in the Goroimari area of Assam's Biswanath district. Locals had found the carcass of a wild tusker in the paddy field and immediately informed forest officials and the police.

Earlier on December 29, Assam took a significant step towards mitigating human-wildlife conflict by forming anti-depredation squads in various districts in the fringe areas of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Assam's Morigaon district. These squads aim to ensure the safety of both humans and animals, particularly during conflicts arising from the encroachment of wildlife into human habitats.

Forest Range Officer of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary said that the initiative has been taken by involving locals of nearby villages especially the farmers who are engaged directly in the protection of their farmland from wild animals of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Forest Department, in collaboration with the conservation organization Aranyak, established 13 Anti-Depredation Squads, each comprising residents from different villages. Winter jackets, raincoats, and charging torches have been provided to locals with the help of Aranyak, allowing them to assist the department in emergencies during this winter. (ANI)

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