Ethics · 27 Aug 2026

Munnar human-elephant conflict WII study

With reference to the Wildlife Institute of India's study (2008-2025) on human-elephant conflict in Kerala, which one of the following statements is NOT correct?

AMunnar recorded the highest number of human deaths from wild elephant attacks among Kerala's regions during the study period.
BThe Asian Elephant is listed as a Schedule I species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
CStatewide, human-elephant conflict resulted in more injuries than deaths over the study period.
DThe Synchronised All India Elephant Estimation recorded Kerala's wild elephant population at over 2,785.
This question is based on: Munnar's 103 Deaths Are a Map of Where No One Decided Who Has Right of Way
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About this question

Why in news

A Wildlife Institute of India study revealed that Munnar recorded 103 human fatalities from wild elephant attacks between 2008 and 2025 - the highest in Kerala - attributing the intensifying conflict to habitat fragmentation, expanding plantations and tourism infrastructure and linear infrastructure cutting through elephant migratory routes.

Why for UPSC

UPSC frequently plants precise-figure traps where a statement subtly converts an exact reported number into an approximation ("over X") - testing whether an aspirant reads statistics carefully rather than treating "correct order of magnitude" as good enough.

Prelims summary

Munnar recorded 103 of Kerala's 581 statewide human deaths (with 1,200 injuries) from human-elephant conflict (2008-2025), driven by habitat fragmentation; Kerala's wild elephant population stands at exactly 2,785 per the Synchronised All India Elephant Estimation and the Asian Elephant holds Schedule I status under the WPA, 1972.

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