Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 29: Despite full-throttled efforts by the state government to protect elephants from unnatural deaths, a whopping 206 jumbos died due to different reasons over the past three years, revealed the elephant census report-2015.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) wildlife SS Srivastav Monday submitted the report to the state government.
“Though 206 elephants died due to different reasons over past three years, the total number of jumbos in the state has increased to 1,954, up by 24 compared to 2012 census,” forest and environment minister Bikram Keshari Arukh told the media here.
As per the report, 82 jumbos died in 2012-13 while 70 died in 2013-14 and 54 in last financial year. As many as 19 jumbos were killed by poachers while 22 died due to infighting and failing from hilltop.
Similarly, train and road mishaps claimed 13 jumbos while 36 died due to natural deaths, 47 because of diseases, five due to poising and 23 in electrocution, the report said.
Interestingly, the state government did not know the reasons behind the deaths of 41 elephants between 2012 and 2015. Besides, seven elephants died between April and May this year.
The highest 1,450 elephants are in the three elephant reserves – Mayurbhanj, Mahanadi and Sambalpur who together work out to 74.21 per cent of the total jumbo count in the state. These areas have eight sanctuaries, Srivastav said.
As many as 102 elephants (5.22 per cent) were located in five other sanctuaries while 402 jumbos (20.57 per cent) were counted outside elephant reserves and outside sanctuaries, he said.
A total of 341 jumbos were identified as tuskers, 1,096 cow elephants while 490 were below five years old. The 2012 census had put the elephant population in the state at 1930 comprising 334 tuskers, 1087 females, 46 (sex unknown) and 463 calves.
The official said the elephant population has gone up in 26 divisions while it has come down in 14 divisions. No elephants were seen in six forest divisions, including Kharia, Chilika wildlife, city forest, Bhadrak, Koraput and Bargarh. The census carried out in 44 forest divisions engaged 5,600 personnel.
