Human-elephant conflicts claimed 668 lives in last 3 yrs in Odisha, informs Minister in Assembly

Conflicts between humans and elephants are escalating in Odisha along with an alarming number of casualties and damage resulting from it, State Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia informed the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. 

in response to a question from BJD MLA Sanatan Mahakud,  Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia replied that over the past three years, elephant attacks have claimed 668 lives and injured 509 people in Odisha.

Incidentally, the figures come even as Odisha was reported as the state with the highest number of human deaths by elephants across India. In 2022-2023 alone,149 human casualties were recorded in the state.

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The minister also highlighted the growing problem of elephant disturbances. Over the same period, elephant herds destroyed 73,620 acres of crops and damaged 10,259 houses.

Notably, the casualties are not one-sided. Human retaliation and preventive measures have also led to the death of tuskers. The minister’s address noted that 40 elephants died in the state in the last five months, both naturally and in accidental conflicts.

The reply in the State legislature went on to highlight that other wildlife are also being affected. Five leopards and as many as 200 other members of other wildlife species have died in the time frame of the past six months.

On another separate note, Khuntia stated that humans face attacks from species other than elephants. In Kendrapara district alone, crocodiles killed 22 people over the past five years, particularly in the Brahmani, Baitarani, and Kharasrota rivers, when attacks increased during the monsoon season when water levels rose.

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The current situation presents a scenario where these conflicts need to be addressed.