‘Elephant Reserves’ established under the ‘Project Elephant’ program, serve as the management unit for elephant landscapes in India. We examined the spatial overlap between Elephant Reserves and other conservation areas. We found that 33% of the area of Elephant Reserves overlapped with Protected Areas and Tiger Reserves, enhancing their conservation status. Land use changes from 1985 to 2015 in Elephant Reserve areas were analysed using pre-classified remote sensing data. Results revealed that 4.9% of forest cover in Elephant Reserves were transformed to other land-uses and that currently 72% of the area of Elephant Reserves was under forest cover, indicating that forest loss was minimal.

Serum biochemical parameters were studied in 65 Asian elephants maintained at Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve and Elephant Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Tamil Nadu, India, from November 2022 to July 2023. Serum was separated from blood and 22 parameters were analysed. In male individuals at Anamalai, the blood urea nitrogen and calcium levels were significantly higher in the age group 1–15 years than >50 years. In Mudumalai, glucose concentration in females of 1–15 years of age was significantly higher than in 26– 50 year-old females and >50 year-old females. Glucose, total protein and creatinine levels showed significant variations between the four seasons of the year.

We studied human casualties in the buffer zone of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve to gain insights into the factors responsible for elephant attacks on humans. We interviewed victims' families for those that got killed and victims that got injured, over the past six years. Human behaviour was responsible for more casualties than elephant behaviour. Casualties were mainly caused by people's negligence of threats and confrontation of elephants. Providing awareness about elephant ecology and training people about deterrents and methods for avoiding conflict, along with regular patrolling and maintenance of electric fences is required to ensure the safety of both people and elephants.