Bhubaneswar: As many as 256 elephants died in Odisha during the last three years, including 13 deaths attributed to poaching, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia informed the state Assembly on Tuesday.
In a written reply to a question by Mahakalapada MLA Durga Prasad Nayak, the minister said that 32 poachers had been arrested in connection with elephant poaching during the period from 2023-24 to 2025-26.
The minister said the state government was taking a series of measures to prevent unnatural deaths of elephants and ensure better protection of the animals and their habitats.
The measures include protection and enrichment of elephant habitats, plantation of food-bearing trees, development of grazing grounds and creation of artificial water bodies to improve the availability of food and water for elephants.
The government has also been taking steps to protect elephant habitats from forest fires and strengthen anti-poaching measures through the establishment of anti-poaching camps and regular forest patrolling. Technology is also being used as part of the efforts to monitor and protect elephants.
The minister further said anti-depredation and anti-poaching squads were being deployed in vulnerable areas to prevent conflicts and check illegal activities affecting elephants.
Coordination meetings are also being held with various departments, including Energy, Railways, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development, and Water Resources, to address factors that can lead to elephant deaths and human-elephant conflict.
The government is also conducting extensive public awareness campaigns to sensitise people about elephant conservation and measures to prevent human-elephant conflict.
The measures, the minister said, are aimed at strengthening elephant habitat management, preventing poaching and reducing unnatural elephant deaths across the state.
