Dehradun:
The elephant population in Uttarakhand has increased by over 10 per cent in three years, an official statement said on Monday.
There were 1,839 elephants in the state in 2017, and their number has now mounted to 2,026, it said.
An elephant census was carried out in the state for three days from June 6 to 8 this year.
The new population figure of elephants in the state was told during the 15th meeting of Uttarakhand State Wildlife Board chaired by Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, according to the statement.
The meeting was also told results of a census of aquatic animals conducted in the state from February 22-24 this year, it said.
There are 451 crocodiles, 77 gharials (Gavialis Gangeticus) and 194 otters in Uttarakhand, according to the statement.
A census of snow leopards will also be conducted in the state from 2020 to 2022, it said.
During the meeting, the chief minister said decisions taken by the state wildlife board should be implemented within a given time frame.
Rawat asked officials to work on the re-introduction of the hippopotamus at the Corbett and Rajaji tiger reserves in a time-bound manner, the statement said.
Pitching for development of Chaurasi Kutiya within Rajaji tiger reserve, the CM said action plan of the project should incorporate different aspects like wildlife, spirituality and culture.
He also said the rehabilitation of the Gartang Gali trail road at Gangotri National Park should be carried out while preserving its originality.
The chief minister said construction of NH 72-A is a top priority for the state government and necessary clearances for the project should not be delayed, according to the statement.
