Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 8 (IANS) Environmental groups in Kerala have sought a CBI probe into the deaths of wild elephants in the state, citing the sharp fall in numbers and a high mortality rate in recent years.
They have also demanded an investigation by a special team under the supervision of the Kerala High Court.
The demand was raised at Vana Spandanam, a meeting of environmental organisations and activists held over three days.
Kerala had an estimated 5,135 wild elephants in 2005, according to state Forest Department records. However, the 2023 estimate put the number at 2,386, and the one in 2024 put the figure at 1,793.
The Forest Department has said that fluctuations in elephant numbers can also be linked to movement of elephants between Kerala and neighbouring states.
The scale of mortality has added to the concern.
A government-appointed expert committee recorded 744 wild elephant deaths in Kerala between April 2019 and March 2025.
This worked out to an average of about 124 deaths a year.
The committee estimated the annual mortality rate at 4.45 per cent to 6.2 per cent.
An earlier mortality assessment had recorded 1,260 elephant deaths between 2011 and 2026, according to data cited in a recent report.
The figures include deaths from natural and human-induced causes.
A recent GIS mapping of elephant mortality records has also identified strong geographical concentration.
Of 1,196 mapped records, Idukki accounted for 226, followed by Ernakulam with 203, Palakkad with 152, Wayanad with 146, and Malappuram with 140.
The five districts together accounted for 867 records, or about 72.5 per cent of the mapped mortality.
Idukki, Ernakulam, and Palakkad alone accounted for 581 records, nearly half of the mapped total.
The environmental groups said the recovery of elephant tusks had raised concerns over possible poaching.
They warned that continued deaths could threaten the long-term survival of wild elephants in the state.
The elephant lovers demanded a detailed independent investigation into the causes of the deaths and the circumstances surrounding them.
They also demanded action to protect elephant corridors and remove obstructions from their traditional movement routes.
The meeting praised the initiatives taken by Idukki Collector Dr Dineshan Cheruvatt to clear such obstructions and expressed solidarity with him.
It demanded cases against those allegedly issuing threats against the Collector.
Wayanad Nature Conservation Society President N. Badusha presided over the meeting.
–IANS
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