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India's wild elephant population down by 17.8% since 2017

Technology

India's wild Asian elephant population has dropped by 17.8% since 2017, falling from 27,312 to 22,446 according to the latest government survey.
This sharp decline was shared last week by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
While the Western Ghats and parts of the Northeast still shelter many elephants, states like Jharkhand and Odisha have seen their numbers plummet—by as much as 68% and 54%.

New tracking method

For the first time, scientists used DNA from elephant dung to get more accurate counts—think of it as high-tech wildlife tracking.
The findings underline just how urgent it is to protect habitats and reduce conflicts between people and elephants.
The report suggests this new data will help shape better conservation plans moving forward, so these gentle giants have a fighting chance.