Odisha hosts international workshop on human-elephant coexistence; CM Majhi calls for joint action

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday inaugurated an international workshop on human-elephant coexistence, underlining the urgency of addressing the rising conflict between people and elephants amid rapid urbanisation and habitat pressure.

The two-day event, attended by over 150 conservationists, policy makers, scientists, and researchers, brought together experts from elephant-range countries across Asia, India’s elephant-rich states, international organisations, and senior forest department officials.

The discussions focused on long-term strategies for peaceful coexistence between humans and elephants while sharing global best practices.

Odisha Is Number One in Elephant Corridors

Highlighting Odisha’s unique position, the Chief Minister said, “Our state is home to nearly 2,100 elephants and ranks number one in terms of elephant corridors. But with urbanisation, human-elephant conflict has unfortunately escalated."

He also highlighted the deep connection the state shares with elephants. "Odisha has an ancient and historic co-existence relationship with the elephant."In our culture, Mahaprabhu Lord Jagannath has a 'Hati Besa'. In this essence, Odisha has the closest and strongest of bonds with elephants. Honouring this, the king of Puri is also titled as Gajapati. Today, the need for the protection of elephant lives is of immense importance," said the CM.

He outlined a series of steps the state government has adopted to mitigate conflict, including creating water bodies inside forests, strengthening ‘Van Suraksha Samitis’ and the Gajasaathi volunteer network, and deploying special Elephant Squads and Rapid Response Teams in conflict-prone areas.

He also noted that compensation is being disbursed swiftly to families of victims, while modern surveillance tools such as GPS tracking, radio collars, and AI-powered cameras are being utilised to monitor elephant movement.

First-of-its-kind Global Centre in Odisha

A major highlight of the workshop was the announcement of the Centre for Species Survival, Asian Elephant, the world’s first institution dedicated exclusively to elephant survival, set up in Chandaka Godibari near Bhubaneswar.

The centre, developed in collaboration with international conservation partners, will focus on research, monitoring and strategies to ensure elephants remain safe in their natural habitats and do not stray into human settlements.