The population of elephants in Odisha has increased to 2,098, which is 122 more than seven years ago, according to a senior forest officer. In the 2017 census, the count was 1,976.
The Odisha Forest and Environment Department released the All Odisha Elephant Census-2024 report on Wednesday.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife, Susanta Nada, stated that the number of elephants notably grew in divisions such as Angul, Athgarh, Dhenkanal, Baripada, Chandaka, Khurda, Bonai, and Keonjhar, but decreased in Similipal North, Similipal South, Balasore, Rairangpur, Bolangir, and Parlakhemundi forest divisions.
There were significant changes in elephants' movement patterns in the Angul, Rourkela, and Baripada circles.
The PCCF also mentioned that the population of tuskers has increased by about 40 per cent over the last seven years, resulting in a healthy ratio of adult males to females and a significant number of young elephants in the overall population.
He said that the wild elephant deaths during the last five years have been within the range of 3 to 4.5 per cent of the total population, the least during the last financial year of 2023-24.
During the census conducted from May 22 to 24, a total of 2,098 elephants were counted. This included 313 adult tuskers, 13 adult 'makhnas' (tuskless male elephants), 748 adult females, 148 sub-adult males, 282 sub-adult females, 209 juveniles, and 385 calves.
The census took place in 48 forest divisions across 28 districts. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife, Susanta Nada, reported that 13 divisions had no elephants.
The census followed the traditional counting method of direct sighting and involved the construction of 1,214 'machans' in 1,905 census units across the state.
More than 5,700 people, including wildlife enthusiasts, NGOs, research scholars, and academicians, participated in the exercise.
Follow us
