Bhubaneswar: The population of elephants has marginally decreased in the Chandaka-Dampara Elephant Sanctuary in 2024, the state Forest Department confirmed citing the report of three-day elephant census undertaken in the state recently. The census hinted that 40 pachyderms inhabit the sanctuary. The census data revealed a slight decrease in the elephant population in the sanctuary. As per the previous census in conducted in May this year, 45 elephants inhabited the area.
Within the sanctuary, the highest number of elephants (16) was found in Bhubaneswar’s Bharatpur, followed by the Chandaka range (14), the Haladia range and the Dampara range have five elephants each. Among the 40 elephants counted, 15 are females, 8 tuskers, 14 juveniles, and 3 calves.
As many as 182 elephants inhabited the Chandaka-Dampara Elephant Sanctuary in 1983. Keeping this in view, the state government designated it as an elephant reserve. However, rapid urbanisation, industrialisation in the forest periphery, construction of national highways through forest areas, and increased human activity within the forest resulted in decline of elephant population in the region.
A total of 16 teams participated in the elephant census this year and each team comprised four personnel. As many as 108 Forest Department employees participated in the census.
