Express News Service
DEHRADUN: Elephant deaths due to train hits in Uttarakhand are on the rise. The latest incident was reported on Monday night when a male elephant was killed after being hit by an Upasana Express train near Sitapur Phatak on the Haridwar-Laksar railway track.
In the last 22 years, over 500 elephants have died in the state due to different reasons, 23 of them were killed after being hit by trains. Speaking to this newspaper, Sameer Sinha, Chief Wildlife Warden of Uttarakhand Forest Department, said, “Though there has been a steady decline in the number of elephants in the country, their numbers have increased in Uttarakhand.”
According to the current elephant census, a total of 2026 elephants have been registered in the state. The sex ratio of adult male and female elephants was found to be 1: 2.50, which is considered better among the population of Asian elephants, Sinha said. “As many as 16 elephants were hit by trains on the Dehradun-Haridwar railway track alone. In the last 12 years, the population of elephants in the state has increased, but their death rate has not decreased,” he added.
“Since 2001, a total of 184 elephants have died due to natural causes, while 96 elephants have died in the conflict, 78 elephants have died in various accidents. The poachers killed nine elephants and 23 elephants died after being hit by a Train,” Sinha said.
Elaborating on a recent report by the Union Environment Ministry highlighting the status of elephant corridors in India, a senior forest official said, “According to this report titled ‘Elephant Corridor of India’, there are at least 150 elephant corridors in the country, spread across 15 range-states, and covering four major elephant-bearing areas.”
“The amount of compensation given to the families of those killed in elephant attacks has been increased from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh,” the forest department official said.
DEHRADUN: Elephant deaths due to train hits in Uttarakhand are on the rise. The latest incident was reported on Monday night when a male elephant was killed after being hit by an Upasana Express train near Sitapur Phatak on the Haridwar-Laksar railway track.
In the last 22 years, over 500 elephants have died in the state due to different reasons, 23 of them were killed after being hit by trains. Speaking to this newspaper, Sameer Sinha, Chief Wildlife Warden of Uttarakhand Forest Department, said, “Though there has been a steady decline in the number of elephants in the country, their numbers have increased in Uttarakhand.”
According to the current elephant census, a total of 2026 elephants have been registered in the state. The sex ratio of adult male and female elephants was found to be 1: 2.50, which is considered better among the population of Asian elephants, Sinha said. “As many as 16 elephants were hit by trains on the Dehradun-Haridwar railway track alone. In the last 12 years, the population of elephants in the state has increased, but their death rate has not decreased,” he added.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
“Since 2001, a total of 184 elephants have died due to natural causes, while 96 elephants have died in the conflict, 78 elephants have died in various accidents. The poachers killed nine elephants and 23 elephants died after being hit by a Train,” Sinha said.
Elaborating on a recent report by the Union Environment Ministry highlighting the status of elephant corridors in India, a senior forest official said, “According to this report titled ‘Elephant Corridor of India’, there are at least 150 elephant corridors in the country, spread across 15 range-states, and covering four major elephant-bearing areas.”
“The amount of compensation given to the families of those killed in elephant attacks has been increased from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh,” the forest department official said.
