Bhubaneswar: As many as 256 wild elephants died in Odisha between 2023-24 and 2025-26, including 13 killed by poachers, Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia informed the Assembly Tuesday. Replying to a written question from BJP MLA Durga Prasan Nayak, the minister said 32 persons had been arrested in connection with elephant poaching during the period. He said the state government had taken a series of measures to protect elephants and prevent their unnatural deaths.
These measures include protection of elephant habitats, creation of forests to ensure adequate food availability, digging of artificial water bodies and setting up of anti-poaching camps, Singkhuntia said. He added that strict surveillance was being maintained over the movement of both elephants and suspected poachers with the help of technology. Anti-depredation and anti-poaching squads have also been deployed at vulnerable locations to prevent human-elephant conflicts and poaching. The government has also launched a large-scale awareness campaign to promote elephant conservation and minimise human-elephant conflict, the minister said.
In reply to a separate question from BJD MLA Pratap Keshari Deo, Singkhuntia said 431 people had died, and 489 others were injured in elephant attacks in the state between 2024-25 and September 17, 2026. During the same period, 699 houses were damaged in elephant attacks. Giving the year-wise break-up, the minister said 143 people were killed in elephant attacks in 2024-25, while 192 deaths were reported in 2025-26. Another 96 people had died in such attacks between April 2026 and September 17, 2026.
