Q. With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements:

  1. The leader of an elephant group is a female
  2. The maximum gestation period can be 22 months
  3. An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only
  4. Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  • 1 and 2 only
  • 2 and 4 only
  • 3 only
  • 1, 3 and 4 only

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Notes:

  • The leader of an elephant group is the oldest female. She leads the group in search of food and water.
  • The gestation period of the breeding pair is nearly 22 months which yields a single baby. During birth, females of the herd surround the mother for her protection.
  • The average life expectancy of an elephant is 70 years and at the age of 18 years, its adulthood starts.
  • South Indian states dominate in having a number of elephants. As per Elephant Census (2017), Karnataka has the highest number of elephants (6,049), followed by Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054).
  • Project Elephant is a Central Government sponsored scheme launched in February 1992.
  • It is implemented in 16 out of 29 states of the country.
  • World Elephant Day is celebrated on 12th August every year.
  • There are around 28,000 elephants in India with around 25% of them in Karnataka.

Must Read: Elephant Reserves in India