Sun May 25 14:55:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten news article:
**Summary:**
A three-day elephant census, mandated by the Interstate Coordination Committee (ICC), has concluded in South Karnataka. The census aims to track elephant population trends to help manage increasing human-elephant conflicts, particularly in areas bordering Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. The census involved direct counts, line transect exercises, and waterhole counts. While heavy rains on the final day hampered the waterhole count, officials believe the data collected during the first two days will still provide valuable insights. This localized effort is crucial as South India holds the largest elephant population in the country and a larger national census hasn’t been conducted since 2017.
**News Article:**
**South Karnataka Elephant Census Concludes, Despite Rain Dampening Final Day**
**MYSURU – May 25, 2025** – A three-day elephant census in South Karnataka concluded Sunday, aimed at understanding population trends and mitigating the escalating human-elephant conflict in the region. The census, mandated by the Interstate Coordination Committee (ICC), involved a variety of methods, including direct counts, line transect surveys, and waterhole counts designed to assess age and sex distribution within the elephant populations.
Heavy rainfall across the region on Sunday significantly impacted the final day’s waterhole count. According to a senior official at Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, the abundant rainfall provided alternative water sources, deterring elephants from congregating at traditional waterholes.
“While the rain affected the final day, the data collected during the initial block sampling and line transect exercises remains robust and will be crucial in assessing population estimation and density,” the official stated.
Ramesh Kumar, Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the value of the data collected over the first two days and the established baseline of sex-ratio data gathered over the past three years.
The synchronized census was conducted across multiple protected areas in Karnataka, including Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, BRT Tiger Reserve, and several other wildlife divisions. It is part of a larger effort to generate a shared database of elephant populations across South India, addressing the growing issue of human-elephant conflict that affects communities in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
The need for this localized census is underscored by the fact that South India is home to the largest elephant population in the country (11,960 out of 27,312, according to the 2017 Synchronised Elephant Population Estimation India Report), with a majority residing in a contiguous landscape. A national census hasn’t been conducted since 2017.
Officials hope the data gathered will provide critical insights for effective conservation strategies and the management of human-elephant interactions in the region. The results of the census are eagerly awaited.
First Piper 