Elephant Population Rises To 1,954 In Odisha

30 June, Bhubaneswar

The Elephant Census report has revealed that elephant population in Odisha increased to 1954 in 2015 from 1930 in 2012.

The 2015 Elephant Census report of Odisha released by Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh on Monday said that this has happened in spite of the man-animal conflict and scores of jumbo deaths.

The report also revealed that 213 elephants were killed in the last three years in Odisha, mostly due to poaching and electrocution.

The highest number of elephants 337 were recorded to be present in Similipal jungle. As per the census, 341 elephants were identified as tuskers and 1,096 as cow elephants.

Some 490 of them were below five years old. The elephant population has shown a positive growth in 26 divisions and a negative growth in 14 divisions of the state.