Odisha: Human-elephant Conflicts Claim 668 Lives in 3 Years

Bhubaneswar: Human-elephant conflicts in Odisha have reached critical levels, with rising casualties and widespread damage, as highlighted by state forest and environment minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia during Tuesday's State Legislative Assembly session.

Responding to a query from BJD MLA Sanatan Mahakud, minister Khuntia disclosed that over the past three years, elephant attacks have claimed 668 lives and left 509 people injured in Odisha. Tragically, Odisha has also been identified as the state with the highest number of human deaths caused by elephants in India. In 2022-2023 alone, 149 human fatalities were recorded.

The minister further revealed the scale of damage inflicted by elephant herds, which have destroyed 73,620 acres of crops and damaged 10,259 houses during the same period.

Notably, the conflict has taken a toll on both sides. Human retaliation and accidental encounters have led to the deaths of 40 elephants in just the last five months, in addition to those dying of natural causes.

The issue extends beyond elephants. Minister Khuntia highlighted that other wildlife species have also suffered significant losses, with five leopards and around 200 other animals dying in the past six months.

Additionally, the threat to humans from other species persists. In Kendrapara district, crocodile attacks claimed 22 lives over the past five years, particularly in the Brahmani, Baitarani, and Kharasrota rivers. These incidents (crocodile attacks) typically surge during the monsoon season when rising water levels increase human-crocodile encounters.

The escalating human-wildlife conflict, according to experts, underscores an urgent need for effective mitigation strategies to safeguard both people and animals in Odisha.

In another development, Odisha’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) (Wildlife) Susanta Nanda on Tuesday said the detailed report of the elephant estimation in the state undertaken by the forest department during winter will be released on Wednesday, November 27.

According to Nanda, reports received from different forest divisions were being reviewed. Moreover, field data is being matched and GPS coordination is made to ensure that a single elephant will not be counted twice.

Nanda further informed that the elephants that were inside the forest during estimation in summer have headed towards human habitats. The major highlight of the census will be the profiling of each herd and lone tuskers.