Dhenkanal: The much-awaited All Odisha Elephant Estimation 2024 commenced in the state on Wednesday.
The three-day exercise from May 22 to 24 is being conducted after a gap of seven years.
The exercise is being taken up across 43 divisions using the direct count method involving fixed point counts from salt-licks, watch towers, machans etc. near water bodies and other regular elephant movement areas combined with patrolling during the day time.
Departmental sources said a total of 1,136 machans along with barracks, watch towers and other such establishments are being used by the census teams.
The collected data will be analysed at range, division and circle levels and finally at the headquarters to arrive at the final figure.
The machans have been set up at locations close to water bodies and wet areas. Besides, the full moon will be on May 23, which will be another advantage in taking up the exercise during this period, the sources added.
As per the last elephant census conducted in the state in 2017, Odisha had recorded a total headcount of 1,976. It was a marginal rise from the previous census figure of 1,954 in 2015. No head count exercise has been taken thereafter due to the 2019 summer cyclone, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons.
Notably, over 400 elephants have been lost during the last five years between 2019-20 and 2023-24 owing to various reasons which include poaching, electrocution and accidents.
