As many as 245 elephants perished in the State in the last three years while the loss of habitat coupled with human interference, increased poaching activity continue to pose threat to their population in Odisha.
This disturbing trend came to the fore when Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Pradip Kumar Amat in a written reply informed the State Assembly on Tuesday about the mortality of elephants.
Out of the 245 cases of death of elephants, six perished to poaching. The forest and police departments in joint exercise have arrested 47 persons for elephant poaching and smuggling tusks and tiger hides in the last three years.
Besides, 39 tusks, one tiger hide and nine tiger nails were recovered from the possession of the arrested accused persons, the Minister Amat informed.
The government is willfully covering up the poaching cases. The Minister’s reply that only six elephants were killed by poachers is false. The statement lacks credence to believe. Of the 245 deaths, more than 100 cases must have been due to poaching, said wildlife activist Biswajit Mohanty.
Multiplicity of factors like habitat loss following mining and industrialization, encroachment and deforestation of elephants’ corridors, poaching and conflict with humans, electrocution and train mishap related deaths are contributing towards Odisha turning into graveyard of elephants, he said.
The government needs to initiate urgent measures to save the national heritage animal, wildlife activists opined.
Odisha is home to 1976 elephants in 44 forest divisions of the state as per the latest census.