Unnatural elephant deaths mount in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Once celebrated for its majestic elephants and revered as the land of the Gajapati Maharajas-rulers historically associated with the gentle giants-Odisha has now turned out to be India's elephant graveyard according to data sourced from the ministry of environment, forests and climate change.

- Debabrata Mohanty

Between 2015-16 and 2023-24, Odisha recorded 176 elephant deaths due to train accidents, electrocution, poaching and poisoning, the second highest number of deaths due to unnatural causes after Assam which recorded 200, revealed the information provided by the Union environment ministry under the RTI Act to this correspondent.

Seen in the context of unnatural deaths as compared to the total wild elephant population in the state, Odisha's elephant death rate hugely eclipsed Assam. The unnatural death rate of wild elephants in Odisha over last 9 years was 8.3 % compared to 3.4% of Assam; the latter has 5,828 elephants compared to 2,098 elephants of former.

Other states such as Tamil Nadu (103 deaths against 3063 elephants), Karnataka (102 deaths against 6395 elephants) and Kerala(75 deaths against 1793 elephants) were far behind in absolute numbers as well as the death rate.

Electrocution was the leading unnatural cause of elephant mortality in Odisha, fuelled by live wire poaching traps, poorly maintained overhead power lines, and electrified fences.

Of the 176 deaths between 2015-16 and 2023-24, 124 were from electrocution.