Elephants have long been regarded as a symbol of strength, wisdom, and heritage in India’s rich biodiversity, officially recognised as the National Heritage Animal since 2010. To ensure their protection, the Government of India launched Project Elephant in 1992, focusing on safeguarding habitats, mitigating human-elephant conflicts, and maintaining population balance. According to the 2025 Synchronous All-India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE)—India’s first-ever DNA-based census—the country is home to an estimated 22,446 elephants. While this figure is technically lower than the 2017 count of 29,964, experts note that the new DNA-based methodology provides a more accurate scientific baseline for future conservation. These majestic animals are primarily concentrated in the Western Ghats and the North-East, with Karnataka (6,013), Assam (4,159), and Tamil Nadu (3,136) hosting the largest populations. As of early 2026, India has 33 officially recognised Elephant Reserves, covering approximately 80,000 to 80,778 sq. km. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has confirmed 150 elephant corridors across 15 states.

The journey of structured conservation began with the Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand, and the list has recently grown to include the Terai Elephant Reserve in Uttar Pradesh and the Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve in Tamil Nadu. In this article, aspirants can download the List of Elephant Reserves in India 2026 PDF (State-wise), featuring the latest census data, recently added reserves, and a detailed look at Tamil Nadu’s conservation landscapes. This topic is essential for environmental awareness and holds high weightage in competitive exams such as UPSC, SSC, Banking, and State PSCs.

List of Elephant Reserves in India PDF in English

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Elephant Project in India

Elephant Projects in India, or Project Elephant India, involve verifying and collecting data on the Elephant population in India. The project will be divided into groups, such as states. Separate teams will participate, make a detailed report about the Elephant population in India, and submit it to the Government. Based on the data taken in 2017-2018, we will provide you with the following results.

• According to the report published in 2017, the Elephant Population in India is 29,964.

• We have seen questions like How many elephants are in India. The population changes over the years. The average population over the last ten years is 26,700.

• This is called the Elephant Project in India, or Project Elephant India.

We will see the Elephant Population in India state-wise according to the 2017-2018 report.

Download Elephant Population in India PDF in English

Download Elephant Population in India PDF in Hindi

How Many Elephant Reserves Are In India

According to Indian Government data, there are around 33 elephant Reserves. The first elephant reserve was the Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand. Project Elephant India is about analysing the Elephant population in India (state-wise).

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List of Elephant Reserves in India 

The table of the updated list of India's 33 elephant reserves is given below

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List of Elephant Reserves In India (Tamil Nadu)

Knowing the list of Elephant reserves in Tamil Nadu is as important because this can be asked in many competitive exams. So aspirants go through the list and make their preparation better.

List of Elephant Reserves In Tamil Nadu PDF

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FAQs

Q: How many Elephant reserves are in India?

A: There are 33 Elephant reserves available in India.

Q: How many Elephant reserves are in Tamil Nadu?

There are 5 Elephant reserves available in India.

Q: What is called the Elephant Project in India or Project Elephant India?

Verifying and collecting data on the Elephant population in India is called the Elephant Project in India.

Q: How many Elephants are in India?

The average Elephant population over the last ten years is 26700.

Q: Is the List of Elephant Reserves in India PDF available?

In this article, we have given the List of Elephant Reserves in India PDF. Aspirants can make use of this PDF file.

Q: What are the Elephant Reserves available in Tamil Nadu?

Coimbatore Elephant Reserve, Nilgiri Elephant Reserve, Annamalai Elephant Reserve, Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve, and Srivilliputhur Elephant Reserve are available in Tamil Nadu.

Q: What was the first Elephant reserve opened by the Government?

The very first elephant reserve in India, or elephant sanctuary, was the Singhbhum Elephant Reserve of Jharkhand.