According to AFP, the Indian Supreme Court has requested states to implement new measures to strengthen the protection of wild elephants. The ruling stated that local authorities must prevent obstruction of elephant migration corridors - natural routes that help elephants travel between residential areas. The court also directed surveys to identify obstacles on these routes.
Functional agencies must stop using coercive measures to change the natural movement of elephants. The court also requested to ban groups of people mobilized to drive away elephants with torches, burning objects or other dangerous methods.
Wildlife conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra, who is at the forefront of this public interest lawsuit, said that the lawsuit was aimed at protesting the support of some state governments for measures that she considers extremely cruel.
Thousands of people chase elephants with burning spears. This approach does not help resolve conflicts, but according to scientific research, it makes the situation even more serious," Ms. Prerna Singh Bindra told AFP.
India, the world's most populous country, is also home to most Asian elephants - an animal classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The habitat of this species is increasingly divided by highways, railways and mining activities.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), there are less than 50,000 Asian elephants living in the wild, most of which are concentrated in India, and the rest are distributed in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asian countries.
Elephants are protected by Indian law and recognized as national heritage animals. However, elephants are under great pressure as their habitat is shrinking, fragmented, and conflicts with humans are increasing.
According to Ms. Bindra, the new ruling of the Supreme Court needs to be transformed into specific actions to ensure the future of elephants.
A survey released by the Indian Government in October 2025 estimates that there are 22,446 wild elephants nationwide. However, the habitat range of elephant herds is currently only about 3.5% compared to before.
In a separate ruling, the Indian Supreme Court also requested increased care and protection measures for more than 2,600 captive elephants, including medical records and periodic health checks.
Caged elephants are currently mainly used in tourism, entertainment and religious rituals. The Indian Animal Rights Protection Organization (PETA) welcomes the new measures, but believes that elephants should not be kept in captivity. PETA India Director Poorva Joshipura affirmed that, whether captured from nature or born in captivity, these elephants are deprived of their habitat, separated from their herds and lose their freedom.
