7,000 wild elephants and 100 tigers in Kerala forest

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has about 7,000 wild elephants and 100 tigers as per the latest survey on the animal population in the forests, State Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said here today.

The number of other wild animals has also gone up in the state, Radhakrishnan said at a function on `Wildlife day`. Man-animal conflict and related issues have also emerged with the increase in the number of wild animals, he said. Incidents of wild animals straying into forest fringe areas have occurred in the state due to shortage of water inside the forests, he said. Stating that it was very important to preserve the habitat of wildlife, he said government has initiated various measures to protect and preserve forests. Noted poet and environmentalist activist Sugathakumari presided over the function.