Bhubaneswar: Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia on Tuesday informed the Odisha Assembly that, according to the 2024 elephant census, there are 2,103 elephants across 38 Forest divisions in the state.
Responding to a query from BJD MLA Chakramani Kanhar, the Minister revealed that the Dhenkanal Forest division has the highest number of elephants, with 291. However, he also noted that over the past three years, Dhenkanal has recorded the highest number of elephant deaths, with 41 elephants dying during this period.
Singkhuntia further informed the House that the Similipal Tiger Reserve is home to the highest number of tigers in the state. Over the last three years, poachers have killed 2 Royal Bengal Tigers and 12 leopards. Additionally, authorities have seized 6 Royal Bengal Tiger skins and 63 leopard skins, he added.
The Minister pointed out several measures taken by the government to protect wildlife. These include anti-poaching camps, forest patrolling, the use of technical expertise to monitor wildlife and poacher activities, anti-depredation and anti-poaching squads, elephant population monitoring, incentives for informants on poaching activities, excavation of water bodies, planting of food-bearing trees, development of grazing lands, and coordination meetings with the railway, electricity, fisheries, and animal resources departments. The government has also introduced online disbursement of ex-gratia payments and launched widespread public awareness campaigns to bolster conservation efforts, he added.
