Bhubaneswar: Altogether 857 elephants died in Odisha in the past 11 years – several of them due to electrocution, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia told the state Assembly on Tuesday.
In reply to a query, the minister said diseases, accidents, poaching and electrocution were some of the other reasons for elephant deaths in the state.
As per statistics furnished by the minister, 149 elephants were electrocuted to death between 2014-15 and 2024-25 (till December 2), while poachers killed 30 elephants. Diseases claimed the lives of 305 elephants and 229 elephants died due to natural reasons.
Another 29 elephants were killed after being hit by trains, seven others were killed in road accidents and two by poisoning, the minister said. Another 16 elephants died due to infighting, he said.
However, the Forest and Environment Department was unable to attribute any reason behind the death of 90 jumbos.
The minister said that 93 elephants died in 2018-19, and 92 during 2022-23, while 54 pachyderms died in 2014-15, the lowest in the last 11 years.
While 66 elephants died in the state during the financial year 2023-24, the figure is 67 till December 2 in the current financial year.
