🐘 August 10 2026

August 10, 2026

The Elephant News Service is provided by Save the Elephants for elephant lovers, scientists and conservationists who want to stay informed on the latest elephant news from reputable media sources worldwide. The stories are presented in no particular order.

Praveen Bhargav, The Island (Sri Lanka), August 9, 2026

The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society will mark World Elephant Day with its August monthly lecture, “Elephant Conservation in a Human Dominated Landscape”, to be delivered by conservationist Praveen Bhargav. The lecture comes at a crucial time for Sri Lanka, as the country continues to grapple with the growing challenge of Human-Elephant Conflict. Expanding human settlements, agriculture, infrastructure development and the fragmentation of natural habitats have increasingly forced elephants to navigate landscapes heavily influenced by human activity.

Telangana Today (India), August 9, 2026

A 62-year-old farmer, Pasuva Chetti, was allegedly trampled to death by a wild elephant while guarding his turmeric and vegetable crops in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu. The elephant entered his farm, prompting him to attempt driving it away. The deceased is identified as Pasuva Chetti of Kamaiyanpuram forest area in Jeerahalli Forest Range, Thalavadi, a place located within STR.

Srijata Mishra, Odisha TV (India), August 9, 2026

A female elephant’s skeleton was recovered from the Gogua Reserve Forest under the Deogarh Forest Division in Odisha, with a preliminary investigation suggesting that the animal died of natural causes. As per reports, a forester spotted the scattered remains in the forest and informed the Deogarh Divisional Forest Officer. Following that, forest department officials then reached the spot and recovered the skeleton. They began an investigation into the possible cause leading to the elephant's death.

India Today NE (India), August 9, 2026

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has highlighted the Special Task Force (STF), Assam’s action against alleged illegal wildlife trafficking in Tamulpur, saying the state has “zero tolerance for wildlife crime.” In a post on X, Sarma said the STF apprehended two persons in Tamulpur and seized two elephant ivory tusks weighing nearly 4 kg. He warned that “illegal wildlife trafficking will face the full force of law” and reaffirmed Assam’s commitment to protecting its wildlife.

K. Umashanker, The Hindu (India), August 8, 2026

A farmer was trampled to death by a herd of six wild elephants near the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border, setting off protests in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu. On the Chittoor side, farmers are staying out of their fields, unsure where the herd will move next. The farmer was attacked while the six-member herd moved through agricultural land close to the buffer zone. The village is barely 12 km from Kuppam, and the elephants have been crisscrossing the contiguous forest along the inter-State border for several days, besides straying into human habitations.

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Vishvendu Jaipuriar, Times of India (India), August 9, 2026

Paddy sowing has been severely disrupted in Tatijharia block as a 24-member elephant herd and a lone tusker have damaged houses and crops, forcing farmers to stay away from fields during the peak agricultural season. The herd, moving through the Sijhua-Khaira and Godhia-Mahuatand belts, created havoc in Mahuatand and Khair. In Mahuatand, elephants damaged the mud house of Parvati Devi, wife of Mahilal Manjhi, leaving the family homeless. Devi sought immediate housing assistance and compensation.

The Star (Malaysia), August 8, 2026

When Dhurbe, the notorious elephant, emerged from the forest in Jagatpur last month, few villagers could have predicted who would cross his path next. The adult male tusker charged into a settlement bordering Chitwan National Park and killed Ashika Bote and her young son, adding two more names to a grim record that stretches back more than a decade. According to wildlife officials, Dhurbe has been responsible for 25 human deaths since 2010, and is one of Nepal’s deadliest wild animals.

C.P.Sajit, The Hindu (India), August 9, 2026

Environmentalists have raised serious concerns over the alleged land use changes in the Periya-Pakranthalam (Periya-Pannippad) elephant corridor, warning that ongoing excavation and construction activities could obstruct elephant movement, worsen habitat fragmentation, and trigger a rise in human-elephant conflict across north Kerala. The Animal and Nature Ethics Community Trust has submitted a representation to senior forest department officials seeking immediate intervention to protect the ecologically sensitive corridor.

B Ravichandran, Deccan Chronicle (India), August 8, 2026

Dr. G. Sivasubramanian, head of the Department of Wildlife Biology at Kongunadu Arts and Science College in Coimbatore, has said the studies on range extension by elephants in Oddanchatram forest range in Dindigul district is of greater relevance to the management of Asian elephant population not only for this area but also the adjoining landscape areas like ATR. “Through the studies, it was concluded that the elephants mostly move through two different trails - either via the foothill forests or crop fields route,” he said.

The Chenab Times (India), August 9, 2026

Authorities in Tamil Nadu have apprehended a man for allegedly chasing a wild elephant near Pollachi, a region known for its diverse wildlife and agricultural landscape. The incident has brought to light the ongoing challenges of human-wildlife coexistence in the state. The arrested individual has not been publicly identified. The incident underscores the delicate balance between human activities and the natural habitats of wild animals, particularly elephants, which are increasingly coming into conflict with expanding human settlements and agricultural lands.

Sriroopa Dutta, The Better India (India), August 9, 2026

By the time the last cooking fires die down in the villages bordering Uttar Pradesh's Katarniaghat forests, another workday is only just beginning. Around 10.30 pm, after spending the day tending to crops, feeding cattle and finishing household chores, a group of farmers gathers on the edge of the village. They pull reflective jackets over dust-covered shirts, test the batteries in their torches, sling whistles around their necks and check that the megaphones still work.

Asian Elephant News