National Green Tribunal
News Item Titled 845 Elephant Deaths ... vs Ministry Of Environment Forest And ... on 27 February, 2026
Item No.13:-
BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
SOUTHERN ZONE, CHENNAI
Friday, the 27th day of February, 2026.
[Through Physical Hearing (Hybrid Option)]
Original Application No.259 of 2024 (SZ)
[Earlier O.A. No.1043 of 2024 (PB)]
IN THE MATTER OF:
SUO MOTU matter in respect of news item
appearing in The Hindu dated 19.07.2024
titled "845 elephant deaths recorded in
Kerala in eight years"
With
1) Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change
(MoEF&CC)
Through its Regional Office,
Kendriya Sadan, 4th Floor, E & F Wing,
17th Main Road, Koramangala II Block,
Bangalore - 560 034.
2) Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Kerala
Vanalaxmi, Forest Headquarters,
Trivandrum - 695 014,
Kerala.
3) Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala
Vanalaxmi, Forest Headquarters,
Vazhuthacaud,
Thiruvananthapuram - 695 014,
Kerala.
...Respondent(s)
For Applicant(s): Suo Motu.
For Respondent(s): Mrs. Y. Kavitha for R1.
Mr. G. Vignesh represented
Mr. E.K. Kumaresan for R2 & R3.
Judgment Reserved on: 03rd February, 2026.
CORAM:
HON'BLE Smt. JUSTICE PUSHPA SATHYANARAYANA, JUDICIAL MEMBER
HON'BLE Dr. PRASHANT GARGAVA, EXPERT MEMBER
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JUDGMENT
Delivered by Smt. Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, Judicial Member
1. The present Original Application arises from suo motu cognizance taken by the Principal Bench of this Tribunal based on the news report published in The Hindu dated 19.07.2024 titled "845 elephant deaths recorded in Kerala in eight years" and subsequently, transferred the matter to this Bench, where it was renumbered as Original Application No.259 of 2024 (SZ).
2. The news report brought to light substantial mortality among wild elephants in the State of Kerala, particularly affecting calves and juveniles, thereby raising concerns regarding the long- term stability of the population structure. It was indicated that nearly 40% of reported calf deaths were attributed to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus-Haemorrhagic Disease (EEHV-HD), a viral infection known to affect young elephants. Considering the ecological importance of elephants and their protected status, these factors, taken together, warranted examination of existing conservation measures, disease surveillance mechanisms and infrastructure safeguards within identified elephant habitats.
3. Upon notice, Respondent No.1/Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), has submitted a detailed reply-affidavit stating that the Asiatic Elephant (Elephas maximus) is classified as a Schedule I species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. In furtherance of conservation objectives, the Government of India launched "Project Elephant" in the year 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to provide financial and technical assistance to elephant range States, including the State of Kerala. The scheme aims at protection of wild elephants, conservation of their habitats and migratory corridors, mitigation of human-elephant conflict and welfare of captive elephants.
4. The Ministry further stated that, with effect from 2023-24, the "Project Elephant" has been merged with "Project Tiger" under the integrated framework titled "CSS Project Tiger & Elephant" to facilitate landscape-level conservation planning and coordinated management of critical habitats. Relying upon Page 2 of 7 the All-India Elephant Estimation (2017), the Ministry submitted that the State of Kerala hosts approximately 5,706 wild elephants, forming a significant component of the country's elephant population.
5. With regard to mortality data, it was stated that, as per the information furnished by the State of Kerala, 57 elephant deaths recorded during the period 2016-17 to 2023-24 were attributed to unnatural causes, including train collisions, electrocution, poaching, and poisoning. The Ministry clarified that while such unnatural deaths are monitored, Project Elephant does not presently maintain a centralised collation mechanism for natural mortality data, including deaths attributed to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus- Haemorrhagic Disease (EEHV-HD).
6. The Ministry also stated that various institutional mechanisms are in place to oversee elephant conservation. A Steering Committee was reconstituted on 28.03.2022 to oversee the Project and the Central Project Elephant Monitoring Committee is functioning pursuant to the directions issued in Prerna Singh Bindra Vs. Union of India [W.P.(C) No.489 of 2018] to monitor compliance with conservation directions. The Captive Elephant Healthcare and Welfare Committee (CEHWC) chaired by the Inspector General of the Forest and Director of Project Elephant with the objective to propose a comprehensive veterinary care plan for the management of captive elephants implemented by both government and private agencies.
7. The Ministry has further stated that 33 Elephant Reserves, covering approximately 80,777.778 Sq. Kms., have been notified across 14 States, including four Elephant Reserves in Kerala. Upon publication of the news report referring to 845 elephant deaths, the Project Tiger & Elephant Division sought clarification from the State of Kerala on 12.09.2024. The State clarified that the figure was derived from estimation reports and thereafter constituted an Expert Committee vide G.O.(Rt) No.451/2024/F&WLD dated 15.10.2024 to undertake a detailed assessment of mortality trends.
Page 3 of 78. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Respondent No.2) has furnished a copy of the "Report on Trend and Insights: Elephant Mortality in Kerala (2019- 2020 to 2024-2025)" prepared by a five-member Expert Committee referred to above, which was headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden.
9. The said Expert Committee submitted a detailed analytical report examining mortality trends, demographic structure, causes of death, seasonal variations, spatial distribution, and long-term conservation implications. The summary on elephant mortality and conservation strategies in Kerala is usefully reproduced below:
"Mortality Trends and Population Stability The Committee analysed data over six financial years (April 2019 - March 2025), and has observed the following key trends:
a) A total of 744 wild elephant deaths were recorded across Kerala's forests during the study period, averaging approximately 124 deaths per annum.
b) Based on population estimates ranging from 2,000 to 2,785 individuals, the annual mortality rate was calculated to fall between 4.45% and 6.2%.
c) The population is considered demographically stable as the estimated annual recruitment of about 168 calves marginally exceeds the average annual mortality of 124 deaths.
d) Mortality peaks were observed in the financial years 2019- 20 (135 deaths) and 2024-25 (150 deaths), indicating temporal fluctuations driven by external factors.
e) A critical seasonal trend identified that mortality consistently surges during the dry season from January to May due to resource scarcity, whereas it drops significantly during the monsoon months of June through September.
Demographic Analysis of Mortality The data exhibited a U-shaped mortality curve, with specific vulnerabilities identified in the youngest cohorts:
a) While adults over 15 years comprised the largest share of mortality at 48.7%, a disproportionate impact was found among the young, with calves under one year and juveniles aged 1-5 years accounting for a combined 30.9% of total deaths.
b) Juveniles are particularly vulnerable, constituting only approximately 6.5% of the total population but suffering 16.5% of all recorded deaths.
c) Male elephants faced higher mortality at 49.4% compared to females at 46.2%, a bias most pronounced in sub-adult males due to behavioural traits such as dispersal and higher risk-taking in conflict zones.
Causes of Mortality The investigation categorised deaths into Natural and Human- Induced causes, in the following patterns:
a) Natural causes accounted for 89.6% (667 deaths) of the total mortality, with disease being the leading factor at 12.10%.
b) Intraspecific conflict accounted for 11.29% of deaths, followed by predation at 7.26 %, which was notably high in tiger-rich landscapes like Wayanad.
c) Human-induced causes accounted for 10.4% (77 deaths) of the mortality, representing a smaller volume but entirely preventable loss.Page 4 of 7
d) Electrocution was identified as the leading unnatural cause at 5.51%, with incident rates tripling over the six-year period.
e) Transport accidents involving vehicle and train collisions accounted for 1.08% of the total mortality.
f) Explosives (1.08%) and poaching (0.54%) persist as threats, with juveniles increasingly falling victim to explosive traps often set for wild boar.
Spatial Analysis and Human-Wildlife Conflict Spatial mapping identified a strong correlation between high- mortality zones and HEC hotspots, particularly during the dry season:
a) Primary mortality zones include the Wayanad landscape, Nilambur region, Parambikulam-Munnar-Malayattoor belt, and Periyar-Ranni-Konni landscape.
b) The Malayattoor Division recorded the highest overall natural mortality with 89 deaths, while the Palakkad Division emerged as a hotspot for humaninduced deaths, accounting for 13% of such cases primarily due to train collisions.
c) Munnar and Ranni faced higher incidences of electrocution, correlating with agricultural interfaces and infrastructure.
d) The period from January to June was identified as a high-
risk window where HEC incidents escalate due to elephants moving closer to human settlements for water and crops like jackfruit.
Recommendations The Committee proposed targeted "Missions" to address specific threats and ensure long-term population viability:
a) The implementation of "Mission FFW" (Food, Fodder & Water) as a priority dry-season intervention for habitat restoration and artificial water provisioning to reduce settlement encroachment.
b) "Mission Solar Fencing" to restore non-functional barriers and strictly regulate illegal power fences to curb the rising trend of electrocution.
c) The establishment of "Mission RRT/PRT" (Rapid and Primary Response Teams) to ensure swift conflict intervention and prevent retaliatory killings.
d) "Mission Real-Time Monitoring" to track elephant movement across corridors, enabling preventive actions before conflict occurs.
e) "Mission Tribal Knowledge" to integrate traditional mitigation practices into modern conservation strategies.
f) Infrastructure safety measures, including the insulation of power lines and specific mitigation in transport zones like Palakkad, are critical to reducing accidental mortality.
g) A state-level surveillance system for EEHV and strict implementation of the Wild Animal Mortality Auditing Framework (WAMAF) are essential for effective disease management and data standardisation."
10. The material on record shows that the Asiatic Elephant (Elephas maximus), a Schedule I species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, is afforded the highest statutory protection and is covered under Project Elephant, now integrated into the CSS Project Tiger & Elephant framework. The State of Kerala, supporting a significant elephant population, has a corresponding conservation responsibility.
11. The Expert Committee's report (2019-2025) records 744 deaths, with an annual mortality rate of 4.45%-6.2%. As estimated annual recruitment (168 calves) marginally exceeds average annual mortality (124 deaths), the population is presently Page 5 of 7 considered demographically stable. However, this numerical stability does not dispel underlying concerns.
12. Disproportionate mortality among calves and juveniles, including cases of EEHV-HD, highlights the need for structured disease surveillance and standardised mortality auditing. Seasonal peaks during dry months and clustering in specific landscapes indicate a nexus between habitat stress and human-elephant conflict. Though human-induced deaths constitute 10.4% of total mortality, they are preventable; the increasing incidence of electrocution, along with transport collisions and explosive-related deaths, reflects gaps in infrastructure safeguards and enforcement.
13. The Committee's recommendations--habitat augmentation, regulation of fencing and power infrastructure, rapid response systems, real-time movement monitoring, and strengthened disease surveillance--adopt a preventive, landscape-based approach. Therefore, while no immediate population decline is evident, sustained monitoring, coordinated action, and time-bound implementation are essential to secure long-term resilience and conflict mitigation.
14. In view of the foregoing, it would be appropriate to issue the following directions in the interest of the wildlife conservation:
I. The State of Kerala shall operationalise the Wild Animal Mortality Auditing Framework (WAMAF) as a standardised and digitised monitoring system, ensuring integration of demographic, spatial data for real-time review.
II. The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change shall establish a centralised national database for elephant mortality, including natural causes such as Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV), with mandatory reporting from all elephant range States. III. The State of Kerala shall prepare and implement a comprehensive Dry-Season Elephant Conservation Page 6 of 7 Action Plan prior to the next dry cycle, including augmentation of natural water sources, fodder enrichment and pre-emptive conflict mitigation in identified hotspots.
IV. A joint audit shall be conducted by the Forest Department and power utilities within six months to identify and rectify hazardous power lines in elephant habitats. Illegal high-voltage fencing shall be removed forthwith and strict enforcement measures shall be undertaken against violators.
V. The State of Kerala, in coordination with Railways and Transport authorities, shall implement site-specific mitigation measures in high-risk corridors, particularly in Palakkad and other identified transport interfaces, including speed regulation, early-warning systems, and physical barriers where scientifically appropriate. VI. The State of Kerala shall establish a dedicated wildlife disease surveillance and rapid-response veterinary mechanism for early detection and management of Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) and other emerging diseases, with periodic reporting to the Ministry.
VII. Division-specific management plans shall be prepared for the identified mortality landscapes, ensuring corridor integrity, inter-State coordination and reduction of habitat fragmentation.
15. With the above observations and directions, the Original Application [O.A. No.259 of 2024 (SZ)] is disposed of.
Sd/-
Smt. Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, JM Sd/-
Dr. Prashant Gargava, EM Internet - Yes/No All India NGT Reporter - Yes/No O.A. No.259/2024 (SZ), 27th February, 2026. Mn.
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