Indian elephant

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For the species also referred to as Indian elephant, see Asian elephant.

Indian elephant
2005-bandipur-tusker.jpg
Tusked male, Bandipur National Park
IndianElephant.jpg
Female, Nagarhole National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Proboscidea
Family:
Elephantidae
Genus:
Elephas
Species:
Elephas maximus
Trinomial name
Elephas maximus indicus
(Cuvier), 1798

The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is one of three subspecies of the Asian elephant. It comes from mainland Asia. Since 1986, E. maximus indicus has been listed as endangered by IUCN. The population has declined by at least 50% over the last 60–75 years. The subspecies is also threatened by habitat loss, degradation and herds being split apart into smaller groups.[1]

The Indian elephant is indigenous to mainland Asia, with approximately three-fourths of its population residing in Republic of India. This species is also found in various countries across the Indian subcontinent, including Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar, as well as in Southeast Asian nations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, [[Cambodia[], and Vietnam, with smaller populations in People's Republic of China.

Indian elephants inhabit a range of environments, including grasslands, dry deciduous forests, moist deciduous forests, evergreen forests, and semi-evergreen forests throughout their distribution. Classified as megaherbivores, these elephants can consume up to 150 kg of plant matter daily. Their diet varies according to habitat and seasonal availability and may consist of leaves and twigs from fresh foliage, thorny shoots, flowering plants, fruits, and grasses.

Since 1986, the Asian elephant has been classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to a significant decline in its wild population, which has decreased by at least 50% over the last three generations of elephants. The species faces multiple threats, including environmental degradation, habitat loss, and fragmentation. Additionally, poaching for ivory poses a serious risk in certain regions of Asia. In response to these challenges, the Government of India launched Project Elephant in 1992, aimed at protecting elephant habitats and populations.

The Indian elephant holds substantial cultural significance across its range and is featured in various religious traditions and mythologies. It is viewed positively and revered as a manifestation of Lord Ganesha in Hindu Dharma. The species has been designated as the national heritage animal of India and serves as the national animal of both Thailand and Laos.

Taxonomy[edit]

The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is one of the three recognised extant subspecies of the Asian elephant.[2] The scientific name Elephas maximus was first proposed by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 for an elephant specimen from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).[3] In 1798, Georges Cuvier introduced the name Elephas indicus to describe an elephant from India.[4] In 1940, Frederick Nutter Chasen categorised all three forms as subspecies of the Asian elephant, solidifying their classification within the broader species.[5]

Description[edit]

The skull of an Indian elephant at the Natural History Museum in Gothenburg

In general, the Asian elephant is smaller than its African counterpart. Its back is characterised by a convex shape or is level with the highest point on its head. This species exhibits notable sexual dimorphism; males typically reach an average shoulder height of around 3.2 meters (10 feet) and can weigh up to 5,400 kg, while females average about 2.54 meters (8 feet 4 inches) in shoulder height and weigh up to 4,160 kg.[6] The tallest recorded Indian elephant stood at 3.43 meters (11.3 feet) at the shoulder, and on average, they measure between 5.5 and 6.5 meters (18 to 21 feet) in length, including the trunk.[7][8]

The Indian elephant has a broader skull with a concave forehead and two dorsal bulges on top. Its large, laterally folded ears and substantial trunk, which features one finger-like projection, are prominent features of its anatomy. [6] The skeleton includes 20 pairs of ribs and 34 vertebrae. It possesses four sturdy legs that are nearly straight, with broader toes; each foreleg has five nail-like structures, while each hind leg has four. These robust legs support the elephant's considerable weight for extended periods with minimal energy expenditure, and the broad feet help cushion against hard surfaces. The tail averages between 1.2 and 1.5 meters (3 feet 11 inches to 4 feet 11 inches) in length.

The skin color of the Indian elephant is generally grey, lighter than that of Elephas maximus maximus but darker than that of Elephas maximus sumatranus. Its skin is typically smoother than that of African elephants and may feature smaller patches of white depigmentation or grey spots. The body is covered in brownish to reddish hairs, which tend to reduce and darken with age. Females are usually smaller than males and often have short or absent tusks.[9] Additionally, Indian elephants possess approximately 29 narrow cheek teeth.[6]

Status and Conservation[edit]

Since 1986, the Asian elephant has been classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with its wild population having declined by at least 50% over the last three generations. The species faces significant threats from environmental degradation, habitat loss, and fragmentation, primarily driven by an expanding human population. This expansion often leads to increased conflicts between humans and elephants, particularly when elephants consume or trample crops. A substantial portion of the elephant's range and suitable habitat has been lost, with their movement hindered by various human developments, including reservoirs, dams, hydroelectric projects, canals, agricultural land, highways, railway lines, mining, and other industrial activities. Poaching for ivory remains a serious threat in certain regions of Asia. The poaching of tuskers disproportionately affects sex ratios, leading to highly female-biased populations, while also reducing genetic variation and negatively impacting fecundity and recruitment rates.

A study conducted at the Periyar Tiger Reserve revealed dramatic changes in adult sex ratios due to poaching; between 1969 and 1989, the male-to-female ratio shifted from 1:6 to 1:122. In India, elephant mortality is also exacerbated by railway accidents, as railway tracks often cut across elephant corridors. Elephants attempting to move between forest patches sometimes collide with trains, resulting in fatalities. From 1958 to 2008, 39 dead elephants were recorded in East India, with ten of those reported killed between 2004 and 2008. Additionally, electrocution from contact with electric poles and transformers poses another major threat to elephants in India. An estimated 461 elephants were electrocuted between 2009 and 2017, highlighting the critical challenges facing this endangered species.

In Bangladesh, significant reductions in forested areas that once served as prime habitat for elephants have drastically impacted the wild elephant population. This habitat loss and fragmentation are primarily attributed to the increasing human population's demand for fuel wood and timber, which leads to illegal logging, deforestation, and habitat degradation. Consequently, as their natural habitat shrinks, elephants have become more prone to direct conflicts with humans. In Myanmar, the demand for elephant ivory has spurred extensive poaching, with the ivory trade providing substantial income for illegal activities. Prices for raw ivory in the clandestine market rose from $76[10] per kilogram in 1989-90 to over $200 [11] per kilogram by the mid-1990s, driven largely by foreign tourists whose demand fuels the illegal killing of elephants. Additionally, there is a significant trade in ivory chopsticks and carvings, which are smuggled by traders from Myanmar into China.

Furthermore, many elephants are captured and raised in captivity for various purposes, including logging, tourism, religious festivals, and entertainment events. In some cases, young wild-born elephant calves are taken from their mothers in Myanmar to be used in Thailand's tourism industry. This process often results in the mothers being killed during capture, and the calves are subsequently placed alongside unrelated captive females. The calves typically undergo a brutal 'breaking in' process that may involve confinement, starvation, beating, and torture, leading to a high mortality rate, with approximately two-thirds of them perishing as a result.

Conservation[edit]

Indian elephants in Mudumalai National Park

The Indian elephant is classified as a protected species under Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life Protection Act, 1972[12]. In response to the challenges faced by elephant populations, Project Elephant was launched in 1992 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the Government of India. This initiative aims to provide both financial and technical support for wildlife management efforts across various states.

The primary objective of Project Elephant is to ensure the long-term survival of viable, conservation-reliant populations of elephants in their natural habitats. This is achieved through the protection of elephants, their habitats, and migration corridors. The project also addresses human-animal conflict, promotes the welfare of elephants in captivity, supports research on the ecology and management of elephants, raises conservation awareness among local communities, and enhances veterinary care for captive elephants.

As of December 2023, India has established 33 notified elephant reserves, which collectively cover an area of 80,778 square kilometers. These reserves play a crucial role in safeguarding elephant populations and their habitats while fostering coexistence between humans and elephants.

Culture[edit]

The Indian elephant holds significant cultural importance throughout its range in Asia, prominently featured in various religious traditions and mythologies. Elephants are often viewed positively and revered as deities, embodying attributes such as strength, wisdom, and good fortune. In Hindu Dharma, the Indian elephant is associated with Lord Ganesha, who is easily recognised by his elephant head and represents various qualities, including intellect and prosperity. Additionally, elephants are acknowledged within the Buddhist pantheon of gods and play a vital role in religious practices.

Elephants are frequently incorporated into temple rituals and elaborate ceremonies, and they are integral to major Hindu festivals such as Dussehra and Pooram, where they participate in processions and celebrations. In recognition of their cultural significance, the Indian elephant has been designated as the national heritage animal of India. It also serves as the national animal of Thailand and Laos. Furthermore, the Indian elephant is recognised as the state animal in several Indian states, including Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, and Odisha, highlighting its esteemed status across different regions.

Read also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Choudhury, A. and others (IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group) 2008. [1]
  2. ↑ Wilson, Don E.; Reeder, DeeAnn M. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. JHU Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.
  3. ↑ Linnaei, C. (1758). "Bruta". Caroli Linnæi Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Vol. Tomus I. Holmiae: Impensis Direct. Laurentti Salvii. p. 33.
  4. ↑ Cuvier, G. (1798). "Elephas indicus". Tableau elementaire de l'histoire naturelle des animaux. Paris: Baudouin. pp. 148–149.
  5. ↑ Chasen, F.N. (1940). "A handlist of Malaysian mammals, a systematic list of the mammals of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and Java, including the adjacent small islands" (PDF). Bulletin of the Raffles Museum. 15: 1–209. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 February 2020.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Shoshani, J.; Eisenberg, J. F. (1982). "Elephas maximus". Mammalian Species (182): 1–8. doi:10.2307/3504045. JSTOR 3504045.
  7. ↑ Pillai, N.G. (1941). "On the height and age of an elephant". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 42: 927–928.
  8. ↑ Furaha tenVelde, P. (1997). "The wild elephants of the Royal Bardia National Park, Nepal" (PDF). Gajah: Journal of the IUCN/SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group (17): 41–44. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  9. ↑ Shoshani, J. (2006). "Taxonomy, Classification, and Evolution of Elephants". In Fowler, M. E.; Mikota, S. K. (eds.). Biology, medicine, and surgery of elephants. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 3–14. ISBN 0-8138-0676-3. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  10. ↑ on the 24-03-2025, 188.1 US$ and 15,400.20 ₹ [source: Perplexity AI]
  11. ↑ on 24-03-2025, 24,154.34 ₹, [source: Perplexity AI]
  12. ↑ Hindi: वन्य जीव (रक्षण) अधिनियम, १९७२


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