India’s Wild Elephant Count Drops 18%: DNA Census Rings Alarm Bells

Conservationists sounded the alarm after India’s first DNA-based survey revealed an 18% decline in the wild elephant population. This decrease, experts warn, places additional strain on the country’s already vulnerable conservation history.

Wildlife researcher Dr. Shikha Bhatnagar noted, “Elephants are ecological engineers. Their decline impacts the entire forest ecosystem—we must step up protection measures.”

The government has pledged expanded corridors and anti-poaching drives, but experts insist that rapid habitat loss and human-animal conflict must be addressed as a priority.