🐘 July 10 2026

July 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.

The Sentinel (India), July 9, 2026

It is a matter of great concern that the human-animal conflict in Assam has taken a heavy toll on human lives, with as many as 1147 lives lost in the past decade. From 2016 onwards, the human death toll in the conflict has shown a rising trend, with the highest toll in 2025, when 138 lives were lost. Until now, 53 people have lost their lives this year. Significantly, Assam is one of the hotspots for human-elephant conflict. Environmental experts attribute this phenomenon to the loss of habitat and accompanying food scarcity.

India New England (India), July 9, 2026

Tamil Nadu’s AI-powered wildlife monitoring system has helped prevent elephant deaths on a vulnerable railway stretch near Coimbatore, with thousands of real-time alerts allowing train pilots to slow down or stop for the safe movement of wild elephants. The artificial intelligence-based camera network, installed along railway tracks at Puthupathi village in the Madukkarai Forest Range, has generated more than 7,100 alerts on elephant movement since it became operational more than two years ago.

Gayathri V Raj, Deccan Herald (India), July 9, 2026

One person was injured and Cesc employees had a narrow escape from a wild jumbo attack in separate incidents in Hethuru and Belur, in Hassan district. The Cesc employees were returning after fixing the electricity cables that had snapped due to rains and winds at villages on the fringes of the forest near Hethuru, when a lone tusker attacked the vehicle they were travelling. They were returning after repair works when a huge tusker suddenly came on the road and moved towards the vehicle trumpeting.

Khabarhub (Nepal), July 8, 2026

Wildlife authorities are preparing to tranquilize the notorious wild elephant known as Dhurbe, trim its tusks and fit it with a new radio collar after the animal’s latest fatal attack raised its death toll to 25. Chief Conservation Officer Dil Bahadur Pun said the operation will be carried out once the elephant is located. The tusks were previously trimmed two years ago. “The team is on standby. As soon as the elephant is spotted, we will dart it, trim its tusks and install a new radio collar,” Pun said.

Deccan Herald (India), July 9, 2026

The Forest Department officials have arrested a man in connection with the death of an elephant due to electrocution near Bhatragadde village. Puttaswamy Gowda (73), a resident of Hebbalagadde, is the arrested. His son Pradeep (38) is absconding. A search has been launched to trace and arrest him. According to the Forest Department officials, they had illegally installed an electric fence along the elephant corridor between their coffee plantation and the adjoining forest.

NorthEast Live (India), July 8, 2026

In a deeply concerning incident, a full-grown female Asian wild elephant was found dead in a paddy field near a human settlement in Balijan village, under Tinsukia district, prompting the Doomdooma Forest Division to launch an investigation into the cause of its death. Preliminary suspicion points to electrocution as a possible cause of death. There have been recurring allegations in the area of farmers rigging live electric wires around their fields to prevent elephants from entering and damaging crops.

Rinchen K, NE Wire (India), July 8, 2026

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. 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.

Emma Gatrell, Metro (Britain), July 8, 2026

A 15-year-old elephant was trapped for 10 hours in an abandoned well before it was rescued. The animal fell into a well in Ernakulam, in the southern Indian state of Kerala. According to the reports, the well didn’t have a wall, and was located near the home of doctor Thattayath Aliyar. Forest officials rescued the elephant using an excavator, creating a mud ramp so it could safely escape. Witnesses say the elephant struggled at first to climb out from the muddy water, but eventually managed to break free and return to the forest.

MB Girish Gowda, Deccan Chronicle (India), July 9, 2026

An elephant estimated to be 35 years has been circling in water of a farm pond for more than day at Devarapura under Thittimati range of Kodagu and suspected the reason for the elephant preferring to stay in water is said to be over its health issues or when it is nearing its end. However, veterinarians will assess the condition of the elephant in water and decide on what needs to be done.

Daily News (Sri Lanka), July 9, 2026

A special discussion was held yesterday (8) in Parliament about future measures to clear traditional elephant corridors that connect sanctuaries and forest zones across Mahakanadarawa, Nachchaduwa, and Mahawilachchiya in the Anuradhapura District. This initiative to clear elephant corridors, a part of the National People’s Power (NPP) environmental policy, is currently underway as a key step to secure migratory paths.

The Hindu (India), July 8, 2026

A male elephant calf, about a year old, was found dead in Pollachi forest range limits of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve. Field staff, who were patrolling Pachathanneer forest beat in Sethumadai east section of the range, found the carcass at Nagaroothu around 6 p.m. on Monday. They alerted higher officials, and a necropsy was conducted on Tuesday. The veterinarian opined that the calf could have died of complications caused by a block in the large intestine.

Read more (1 min) (Behind a paywall)

Asian Elephant News