Odisha elephants facing shortage of habitat space: PCCF Wildlife

Elephants living in Odisha forests have been facing an acute shortage of habitat space. Around 400 more jumbos presently live in the wild than what the ideal population should be, PCCF (Wildlife) Susanta Nanda said on Tuesday.

Forest covers in Odisha are capable of accommodating as many as 1,700 elephants. However, the total number of pachyderms in the State is around 2,100, PCCF Nanda expressed.

Reacting to the order issued by the Forest Minister for a judicial probe into recent jumbo deaths, the PCCF stated, “A study was earlier conducted by the elephant center of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru. Sustainably, 1,700 jumbos can safely be accommodated in Odisha forests without human-animal conflict.”

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A shortage of space gives rise to human-animal conflicts. Young, sub-adult or juvenile elephant populations have been suffering from diseases due to high bacterial load. Ecological imbalance is causing a shortage of food and water for them.

Calves and diseased animals comprise almost 60 per cent of pachyderm deaths.

If some of the elephants are relocated to Similipal National Park, hopefully, the present landscape will change, the PCCF asserted.

"The two-day annual headcount of jumbos will be conducted across the State during winter on November 14 and 15. At times, some of the animals are trespassing into Odisha forests from neighbouring Jharkhand. A census will help us to confirm how many elephants have been using our landscape," PCCF Nanda added.