Photo Courtesy: nenow
Itanagar: Asian elephants are climbing higher than ever recorded. Researchers found evidence of the animals at 3,266 metres within the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary. This discovery marks the highest known presence of the species globally. A juvenile elephant was captured on a camera trap at this extreme elevation.
A joint action plan by the Arunachal Pradesh Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and WWF-India details the finding. Experts previously believed these animals stayed near the Himalayan foothills, rarely venturing above 2,000 metres. The study suggests the herds may be seeking bamboo or visiting mountain salt licks.
Aniruddha Dhamorekar of the Elephant Conservation Programme noted local communities were aware of these movements, but official data remained scarce. He stated, "Elephant movements in the high-altitude areas of Eaglenest were already known to the local Bugun and Sherdukpen communities, as well as the staff at Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary."
The range of these elephants has grown significantly. It now covers 12,446 square kilometres, a massive jump from 2017. Improved survey methods account for much of this expansion, though some areas show genuine growth in territory. Increased sightings now span 17 districts.
Conflict follows this expansion. Officials recorded over 1,500 incidents of human-elephant conflict between 2007 and 2024. Most cases involve crop destruction and property damage. Infrastructure development and forest loss continue to squeeze traditional corridors. Mitigation efforts now include solar fencing and rapid response teams to protect both locals and the herds.
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