Bhubaneswar: A staggering 799 people have lost their lives to wild animal attacks in Odisha over the past five years, Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia revealed in the State Assembly on Tuesday.
The alarming figure emerged in a written response to a question posed by BJP legislator Padma Lochan Panda, shedding light on the growing human-wildlife conflict in the state.
The Minister disclosed that during the same period—from 2020-21 to 2024-25 so far—2,832 wild animals, including elephants and tigers, perished across Odisha. Of these, 806 deaths were attributed to poaching, a persistent menace that has led to the arrest of 4,043 individuals allegedly involved in illegal wildlife killings over the five-year span.
In addition to the human fatalities, wild animal attacks left 1,962 people injured, underscoring the severity of the issue. Dhenkanal forest division emerged as the deadliest hotspot, recording 147 human deaths—the highest in the state—followed by Angul with 76, Keonjhar with 69, Baripada with 54, and Rourkela with 47.
On the wildlife front, Dhenkanal also reported the highest number of animal deaths at 318, trailed by Athagarh (197), Angul (151), Balasore (117), Nayagarh (113), and Chilika (103). Poaching claimed its heaviest toll in Dhenkanal as well, with 75 animals killed, while Nayagarh reported 63 cases, and Athamallik and Similipal South each recorded 55. Other divisions grappling with significant poaching activity include Athagarh (50), Boudh (31), Redhakhol (29), Keonjhar (29), Cuttack (27), Rajnagar (27), and Satkosia (26).
Khuntia emphasized the government’s efforts to mitigate the crisis, noting that the Forest department provides an ex-gratia payment of Rs 6 lakh to the families of those killed in wild animal attacks. The data, however, paints a grim picture of the challenges facing Odisha’s forests, where both human and animal lives are increasingly at risk.
Official sources indicate that the state is working to curb poaching and reduce human-wildlife encounters, but the rising toll on both sides signals an urgent need for stronger measures. As the debate continues, Odisha’s forest divisions remain a fragile battleground between conservation and survival.
