Protecting elephants boosts India’s forest carbon stores: Study

Protecting the endangered Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) indirectly helps safeguard India’s forests as powerful carbon stores, says a new study in the Journal of Threatened Taxa.

Researchers Tarun Kathula and Tanu Jindal found that while India’s elephant reserves expanded from 18,297 sq. km to 80,777 sq. km between 1992-2025, carbon stored in those areas rose 38% — despite elephant numbers increasing only 6.7%.

The gain “primarily reflects enhanced protection and reduced degradation of pre-existing forest carbon stocks,” not elephants creating biomass directly.

The study warns that long-term carbon stabilisation can’t rely on declaring more reserves alone. Improving habitat quality, restoring wildlife corridors, and strengthening forest management are key to locking carbon and fighting climate change.