Population structure of wild Asiatic elephant in Patharia Hills Reserve Forest, Karimganj, India: A plea for conservation

Abstract

Population estimation of wild animal is necessary for having an idea of their status which is helpful for having conservation related decisions. In most studies, population estimation of large size animal is done by line transacts, block count, dung count method etc. which though are suitable to large areas but in small areas those method provides biased results due to limitation of methods. With a view to determine the population status, age and sex of Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus), we employed total count in Patharia Hills Reserve Forest (RF). Besides, semi-structure interviews were conducted, in which the respondents were fringe villagers, forest staffs, hunters and elderly people. A total of seven individuals of E. maximus were encountered throughout the study. Male and female ratio observed is 0:7; while adult, sub adult and juvenile ratio is 6:1:0. Both corridor and habitats were found under serious threat; subsequently Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) is on increase. Ceasing developing activities, commercial felling of tress, extending legal protection of corridors and improvement of status of Reserve Forest to Wildlife Sanctuary has been suggested.