Representative image of elephants in Karnataka.
Credit: DH File Photo
Karnataka has 6,395 elephants, an increase of 323 compared to the previous count of 6072 in 2012, with Bandipur-Nagarahole zones housing 1947 or about one third of them, the Forest Department announced on Wednesday.
Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre released the interim report on elephant census titled 'Asian Elephant Population Size and Structure Estimates for Karnataka'.
The department conducted the population estimate exercise across 32 forest divisions of Karnataka spread over 6104 sq km. "Elephants were found in 23 divisions on the day of counting. The total number of elephants directly counted was 2219 on the day of survey," the report said. The department used a formula developed by experts to arrive at a mean elephant number.
The survey is also part of a synchronised elephant population estimation conducted by Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu between May 17 to 19.