<p>Chennai: Close on the heels of the deaths of two translocated wild elephants after their release, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday constituted a state-level Expert Committee to formulate a clear set of protocols on capture, translocation, and release of wild animals.</p> <p>The six-member committee will be headed by A Udhayan, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Director, Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC). The deaths of two translocated wild elephants after their release have raised concerns regarding existing protocols and hence the government decided to take a relook and come up with a fresh set of guidelines. </p>.Tamil Nadu's wild elephant population rises to 3,170 in 2025.<p>Officials said while the causes of death are under evaluation, the latest incidents have underlined the need for a comprehensive, science-based review of the procedures governing capture, handling, translocation, release, and post-release monitoring of wild animals, especially elephants.</p><p>“The Committee will submit its report and draft SoP within two months. The state government aims to establish a scientifically rigorous and ecologically sensitive framework for wildlife translocation, contributing to both state and national conservation leadership,” Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary (Environment and Forests), said. </p><p>The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Committee include assessment and review of recent incidents involving the death of translocated elephants, and evaluation of current protocols in alignment with national and global scientific guidelines, and identification of areas requiring strengthening.</p><p>“Formulation of a detailed, implementable Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for capture, translocation, and release of wild animals, especially elephants, and ensuring that the Standard Operating Procedure is of a standard suitable for consideration as a national model for India,” Sahu added.</p><p>The deaths of elephants came even as Tamil Nadu has reported an increase in the number of wild elephants from 3,063 in 2024 to 3,170 in 2025 in the third synchronized Elephant Census conducted across the state and neighbouring Karnataka. </p><p>The survey covered 26 forest divisions, including tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, territorial forest divisions, and a national park, as 2,043 forest department personnel and volunteers took part using three standard methodologies, the block count, line-transect (dung count), and waterhole count methods.</p><p>The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the picturesque Nilgiris recorded the highest density at 1.35 per square kilometre (estimated 325 elephants), followed by Gudalur Forest Division and Anamalai Tiger Reserve. While Western Ghats recorded 1,777 elephants, the number in Eastern Ghats is 1,345. </p><p>This is the second year in a row that the elephant population has witnessed an increase. The number rose from 2,961 in 2023 to 3,063 in 2024 and now to 3,170.</p>
<p>Chennai: Close on the heels of the deaths of two translocated wild elephants after their release, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday constituted a state-level Expert Committee to formulate a clear set of protocols on capture, translocation, and release of wild animals.</p> <p>The six-member committee will be headed by A Udhayan, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Director, Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC). The deaths of two translocated wild elephants after their release have raised concerns regarding existing protocols and hence the government decided to take a relook and come up with a fresh set of guidelines. </p>.Tamil Nadu's wild elephant population rises to 3,170 in 2025.<p>Officials said while the causes of death are under evaluation, the latest incidents have underlined the need for a comprehensive, science-based review of the procedures governing capture, handling, translocation, release, and post-release monitoring of wild animals, especially elephants.</p><p>“The Committee will submit its report and draft SoP within two months. The state government aims to establish a scientifically rigorous and ecologically sensitive framework for wildlife translocation, contributing to both state and national conservation leadership,” Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary (Environment and Forests), said. </p><p>The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Committee include assessment and review of recent incidents involving the death of translocated elephants, and evaluation of current protocols in alignment with national and global scientific guidelines, and identification of areas requiring strengthening.</p><p>“Formulation of a detailed, implementable Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for capture, translocation, and release of wild animals, especially elephants, and ensuring that the Standard Operating Procedure is of a standard suitable for consideration as a national model for India,” Sahu added.</p><p>The deaths of elephants came even as Tamil Nadu has reported an increase in the number of wild elephants from 3,063 in 2024 to 3,170 in 2025 in the third synchronized Elephant Census conducted across the state and neighbouring Karnataka. </p><p>The survey covered 26 forest divisions, including tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, territorial forest divisions, and a national park, as 2,043 forest department personnel and volunteers took part using three standard methodologies, the block count, line-transect (dung count), and waterhole count methods.</p><p>The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the picturesque Nilgiris recorded the highest density at 1.35 per square kilometre (estimated 325 elephants), followed by Gudalur Forest Division and Anamalai Tiger Reserve. While Western Ghats recorded 1,777 elephants, the number in Eastern Ghats is 1,345. </p><p>This is the second year in a row that the elephant population has witnessed an increase. The number rose from 2,961 in 2023 to 3,063 in 2024 and now to 3,170.</p>