Bhanjanagar: The world is celebrating World Elephant Day today. The state government will also organise various programmes in different parts of the state to sensitise people on the protection of elephants and the necessity for their conservation.
An awareness programme has been organised at Lalsingh nursery premises under North Ghumusar Forest Division while the South Ghumusar forest division will also organise similar programmes under its various ranges, sources said. However, despite a host of measures being taken up for the protection of elephants, the Forest Department has failed to check the jumbo deaths. The pachyderm population in the state is diminishing fast with as many as 451 elephants have died during the last five years in the state.
Reports said that 451 elephants died between April 1, 2018, and August 10, 2023, in the state. Among them, 21 elephants have died in Ganjam district while eight elephants died under the North Ghumusar forest division alone in the district. As many as 50 elephants have died of poisoning and poaching in the state during the last five years while 84 got electrocuted, 22 died in train mishaps, four in road accidents and 174 jumbos died normally. Causes of death of 105 elephants are yet to be ascertained but a majority of them are suspected to have died of poaching.
In 12 jumbo death cases, forest officials were found to have connived to destroy evidence to hush up the wildlife crimes. Elephant census is held every two years but it was halted due to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. The last elephant census was conducted in 2017. Six years have passed but the jumbo census is yet to be conducted. It is learnt that the state government has started making preparations to conduct a jumbo census in May 2024. When contacted, environmentalist Ranjit Pattnaik said that there should be proper coordination among all departments and awareness among people to check the jumbo deaths.
