Elephant Reserves in India are specially designated protected areas created under Project Elephant—a conservation programme launched in 1992 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
As of 2025, India has 33 Elephant Reserves spread across 14 states, covering an area of nearly 80,000 sq. km. These reserves not only protect elephants but also help conserve the rich biodiversity of their habitats.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Elephant Reserves in India, including a state-wise list, elephant corridors, key facts, and a free downloadable PDF map — useful for UPSC and other competitive exams.
Did You Know?
- Elephant herds are matriarchal: led by the oldest or most experienced female (the matriarch).
- Males tend to live alone or in small bachelor groups once matured, separate from the main family herd.
- Elephants are highly social, intelligent, and show strong memory (especially about water sources, migratory routes).
- The gestation period of the Asian elephant is around 18–22 months — among the longest gestation periods of mammals.
Elephant Conservation In India
Legal Protection:
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Listed in Schedule I, providing the highest degree of protection.
- Indian Forest Act, 1927: Supports habitat protection through Reserved and Protected Forests.
International Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Endangered.
- CITES: Listed under Appendix I, prohibiting international commercial trade of elephants and their body parts.
National Significance:
- Declared as the National Heritage Animal of India in 2010 to highlight its cultural and ecological importance.
- India is home to the largest population of wild Asian elephants in the world (over 60% of the global population).
Elephant Reserves:
- Established under Project Elephant (a Centrally Sponsored Scheme) to protect elephants and their habitats.
- These reserves often overlap with Tiger Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Reserved Forests, creating multiple layers of protection.
List of Elephant Reserves in India
The table below provides the state-wise list of Elephant Reserves in India, along with their area and respective years of notification.
Note: The number in brackets after each state name indicates the total number of elephant reserves in that state.
| S. No | Elephant Reserve | State | Year | Area (km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rayala ER | Andhra Pradesh (1) | 2003 | 766.0 |
| 2 | Kameng ER | Arunachal Pradesh (2) | 2002 | 1892.0 |
| 3 | South Arunachal ER | Arunachal Pradesh | 2008 | 1957.5 |
| 4 | Chirang–Ripu ER | Assam (5) | 2003 | 2600.0 |
| 5 | Dhansiri–Lungding ER | Assam | 2003 | 2740.0 |
| 6 | Dihing–Patkai ER | Assam | 2003 | 937.0 |
| 7 | Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong ER | Assam | 2003 | 3270.0 |
| 8 | Sonitpur ER | Assam | 2003 | 1420.0 |
| 9 | Sarguja–Jashpur ER | Chhattisgarh (2) | 2011 | 1143.3 |
| 10 | Lemru ER | Chhattisgarh | 2021 | 1995.0 |
| 11 | Singhbhum ER | Jharkhand (1) | 2001 | 13440.0 |
| 12 | Dandeli ER | Karnataka (2) | 2015 | 2321.0 |
| 13 | Mysuru ER | Karnataka | 2002 | 8055.9 |
| 14 | Anamudi ER | Kerala (4) | 2002 | 3728.0 |
| 15 | Nilambur ER | Kerala | 2002 | 1419.0 |
| 16 | Periyar ER | Kerala | 2002 | 3742.0 |
| 17 | Wayanad ER | Kerala | 2002 | 1200.0 |
| 18 | Garo Hills ER | Meghalaya (1) | 2001 | 3500.0 |
| 19 | Intanki ER | Nagaland (2) | 2005 | 202.0 |
| 20 | Singphan ER | Nagaland | 2018 | 23.5 |
| 21 | Mahanadi ER | Odisha (3) | 2002 | 1038.3 |
| 22 | Mayurbhanj ER | Odisha | 2001 | 3213.8 |
| 23 | Sambalpur ER | Odisha | 2002 | 426.9 |
| 24 | Anamalai ER | Tamil Nadu (5) | 2003 | 1457.2 |
| 25 | Coimbatore ER | Tamil Nadu | 2003 | 565.5 |
| 26 | Nilgiri ER | Tamil Nadu | 2003 | 4662.4 |
| 27 | Srivilliputhur ER | Tamil Nadu | 2003 | 1249.1 |
| 28 | Agasthyamalai ER | Tamil Nadu | 2022 | 1197.5 |
| 29 | Uttar Pradesh ER | Uttar Pradesh (2) | 2009 | 744.0 |
| 30 | Terai ER | Uttar Pradesh | 2022 | 3072.3 |
| 31 | Shivalik ER | Uttarakhand (1) | 2002 | 5406.0 |
| 32 | Eastern Dooars ER | West Bengal (2) | 2002 | 977.5 |
| 33 | Mayurjharna ER | West Bengal | 2002 | 414.0 |
Key Facts about Elephant Reserves in India
- India has 33 Elephant Reserves spread across 14 states.
- These reserves were established under Project Elephant (1992), launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
- The first Elephant Reserve in India is the Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand, notified in 2001.
- The latest (33rd) reserve is the Terai Elephant Reserve in Uttar Pradesh, notified in 2022.
- The Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand is the largest, covering about 13,440 sq. km.
- The Singphan Elephant Reserve in Nagaland is the smallest, with an area of just 23.5 sq. km.
- Assam and Tamil Nadu have the maximum number of Elephant Reserves, with five each.
- Many Elephant Reserves overlap with Tiger Reserves in India, such as:
- As per the Elephant Census 2017 (latest official all-India count), the country has about 29,964 elephants, accounting for nearly 60% of the global Asian elephant population.
- Karnataka, with 6,049 elephants, has the highest elephant population in India, followed by Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054).
- The Elephant Census in India is conducted every five years. The latest available data is from 2017, as the 2022–23 census was postponed due to delays in census in the northeast.
Elephant Corridors in India
Elephant Corridors are narrow stretches of land that connect two or more large elephant habitats or protected areas. They allow elephants to move freely between feeding and breeding grounds, ensuring genetic exchange and reducing human–elephant conflicts.
- Elephant corridors are identified by the Project Elephant Division under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and respective State Forest Departments.
- They are mapped based on elephant movement patterns, vegetation type, and landscape connectivity.
- Corridors are often categorized as:
- State Corridors – Within one state.
- Inter-State Corridors – Connecting two or more states.
- International Corridors – Crossing into neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
- As per the Elephant Corridors of India Report (2023) by WTI, 150 elephant corridors have been identified across India.
- West Bengal has the highest number of identified elephant corridors in India.
