Journal of Science and Technology ISSN: 2456-5660 Volume 06, Issue 01, Jan-February 2021 www.jst.org.in DOI: https://doi.org/10.46243/jst.2021.v6.i1.pp73-82 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Published by: Longman Publishers 73 | Page Habitat assessment and utilization by Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus L.) in Palani Hills Northern Slope Reserve Forests of Dindigul Forest Division, Tamil Nadu, Southern India G. Sivasubramanian 1 , B. Ramakrishnan 2* 1( Research Scholar, Department of Zoology & Wildlife Biology, Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam 643 002, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India ) 2 (Assistant Professor of Wildlife Biology, Department of Zoology & Wildlife Biology, Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam 643 002, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India. ) 2 Corresponding Author:bio.bramki@gmail.com To cite this Article Sivasubramanian,G and B.Ramakrishnan, “Habitat assessment and utilization by Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus L.) in Palani Hills Northern Slope Reserve Forests of Dindigul Forest Division, Tamil Nadu, Southern India” , Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 06, Issue 01, Jan-February 2021 pp73-82 Article Info Received:14-08-2020 Revised:12-10-2020 Accepted: 10-11-2020 Published: 01-12-2020 Abstract: Elephants use their traditional habitats in different seasons to obtain their various ecological, physiological and sociological requirements. Sometimes it may happen even after 200 years also. One of the such incident took place in Dindigul Forest Division of Tamil Nadu, Southern India during 2006. This might have happened due to habitat fragmentation, loss or blockage of corridors, indiscriminate growth of any developmental activities, mining and severe biotic threats in its natural habitats. This paper describes the habitat assessment and use pattern of elephants in the foot hills of Palani Hills Northern Slopes Reserved Forests in Dindigul Forest Division after 200 years. This study found elephants effectively used two different trails for their movement through Palani Hills Northern Slopes Reserved Forests either through the foot hill forests or crop fields. The present study revealed that elephant food trees were recorded 65% (3.71 ha.) and elephant preferable shrubs were 15% (0.37 ha.). Among the ground cover variables barren ground was highest (46.8%) followed by grass cover (31.8%) and shrub (8.2%). Other ground cover variables such as herb, rock and weed represented 4.8%, 5.8% and 2.6% respectively. To find out extent of habitat utilization by elephants, a total of 68 elephant dung piles were examined during the study. Of which 57% comprised agriculture crops namely maize, sugarcane, guava, plantain, tamarind and sorghum. The present study concluded the elephants extensively used agricultural crop fields than forests to sustain in this area after 200 years. Keywords: Asian elephant, habitat quality, habitat utilization, elephant trails. __________________________________________________________________________________________ I. Introduction Today wild Asian elephants distributed in 13 countries across the South and Southeast Asia with a population estimate is about 45,671 - 49,028 (Sukumar 2018). Indian sub-continent harbours 50% of the world’s Asian elephant population, which is estimated to be 27,312 (Synchronized Elephant Population Estimation Report, 2017). Most of these are currently distributed over an area of about 110,000 Sq.km within four regions in India and Tamil Nadu have a population about 2761 elephants (Synchronized Elephant Population Estimation Report 2017). This paper witnessed the habitat assessment and use pattern of elephants in foot hills of Palani Hills Northern Slope Reserved Forests of Dindigul Forest Division, Tamil Nadu, Southern India. The study site is connecting two major habitats between Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Kodaikanal plateau through the foot hills of Palani Hills Northern Slopes Reserved Forests. Its ecological wealth is important to all downstream animals on this foot hill tract. Although, the foot hills have a natural forest and suitable habitat for