India, Oct. 15 -- India has 22,446 elephants, according to the latest census findings released on October 15, 2025. Support of local communities is vital for pachyderm conservation, according to the report.

The new nationwide estimate is unique as it uses DNA-based mark-recapture for the first time in India. "...given the methodological changes, it is not comparable to past figures and may be treated as a new monitoring baseline for further research, monitoring and estimation," Status of Elephants in India: DNA based synchronous all India population estimation of elephants noted.

The numbers The survey divided elephant populations into four regions: Western Ghats, Central India and Eastern Ghats, Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains and N...