Bhubaneswar: The elephant population in Odisha has increased to 2,098, an increase of 122 in the last seven years, a senior forest official said on Wednesday.
The count during the last census in 2017 was 1,976.
Odisha Forest and Environment Department released the report of All Odisha Elephant Census-2024 here on Wednesday.
Some divisions like Angul, Athgarh, Dhenkanal, Baripada, Chandka, Khurda, Bonai and Keonjhar saw a significant increase in the number of elephants, while Similipal North, Similipal South, Balasore, Rairangpur, Bolangir and Paralakhemundi saw a decline. . Forest Division, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife, Susanta Nada said.A significant change in the movement pattern of elephants was observed in Angul, Rourkela and Baripada circles, he said.
The population of tuskers has increased significantly by about 40 percent during the last seven years. PCCF said this has resulted in a good ratio of adult males to females and a significant number of youth in the overall population.
He said deaths of wild elephants during the last five years have ranged between 3 to 4.5 per cent of the total population, with the lowest during the last financial year of 2023-24.
During the census conducted from May 22 to 24, there were a total of 2,098 elephants, which included 313 adult elephants, 13 adult 'makhana' (tusked male elephants), 748 adult females, 148 sub-adult males, 282 sub-adult females. Were.Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife, Susanta Nada, said 209 juveniles and 385 calves were counted in 48 forest divisions in 28 districts.
There were no elephants in 13 divisions, he said.
The three-day census exercise has followed the traditional method of direct eye counting. A total of 1,214 'machans' were constructed in 1,905 census units across the state.
More than 5,700 people were engaged in the census work.Besides this, wildlife enthusiasts, NGOs, research scholars and academicians have also participated in the census.
The count during the last census in 2017 was 1,976.
Odisha Forest and Environment Department released the report of All Odisha Elephant Census-2024 here on Wednesday.
Some divisions like Angul, Athgarh, Dhenkanal, Baripada, Chandka, Khurda, Bonai and Keonjhar saw a significant increase in the number of elephants, while Similipal North, Similipal South, Balasore, Rairangpur, Bolangir and Paralakhemundi saw a decline. . Forest Division, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife, Susanta Nada said.A significant change in the movement pattern of elephants was observed in Angul, Rourkela and Baripada circles, he said.
The population of tuskers has increased significantly by about 40 percent during the last seven years. PCCF said this has resulted in a good ratio of adult males to females and a significant number of youth in the overall population.
He said deaths of wild elephants during the last five years have ranged between 3 to 4.5 per cent of the total population, with the lowest during the last financial year of 2023-24.
During the census conducted from May 22 to 24, there were a total of 2,098 elephants, which included 313 adult elephants, 13 adult 'makhana' (tusked male elephants), 748 adult females, 148 sub-adult males, 282 sub-adult females. Were.Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife, Susanta Nada, said 209 juveniles and 385 calves were counted in 48 forest divisions in 28 districts.
There were no elephants in 13 divisions, he said.
The three-day census exercise has followed the traditional method of direct eye counting. A total of 1,214 'machans' were constructed in 1,905 census units across the state.
More than 5,700 people were engaged in the census work.Besides this, wildlife enthusiasts, NGOs, research scholars and academicians have also participated in the census.
