More than 200 wild elephants have died due to electrocution in Assam over the past 25 years, with illegal electric fencing emerging as the single biggest threat to the species, according to data and field assessments cited by the Assam Forest Department and wildlife experts. The deaths, largely attributed to high-voltage wires and unauthorised electric fences erected around farmlands to deter crop raids, highlight the growing intensity of human–elephant conflict in the state. Officials said that between 2019–20 and 2023–24 alone, at least 55 elephants were killed by electrocution. Districts along the Indo-Bhutan border, particularly Tamulpur and Udalguri, have been identified as major hotspots, where traditional elephant corridors intersect with human settlements and agricultural fields. Conservationists warn that poor enforcement of wildlife protection laws, combined with expanding agriculture and habitat fragmentation, has allowed illegal fencing to proliferate. While the government has rolled out awareness drives and conflict-mitigation measures, experts stress that stricter action against offenders, protection of elephant corridors, and the promotion of safer alternatives such as low-voltage solar fencing are urgently needed to prevent further loss of the iconic species.
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