Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s elephant population has remained largely stable, but the state is facing a growing challenge in providing enough habitat for the animals and reducing human-elephant conflict.The 2024 summer elephant census recorded 2,098 elephants in Odisha. The number increased slightly to 2,103 during the winter census, indicating that the state’s elephant population has remained stable.However, scientific studies suggest that Odisha’s forests can support only around 1,700 to 1,800 elephants. The gap between the estimated habitat capacity and the actual elephant population is putting increasing pressure on forest habitats and forcing elephants to move closer to human settlements in search of food and water.The result has been a rise in human-elephant conflict across the state. Between 2020 and 2026, as many as 906 people have died in elephant-related incidents, while 513 elephants have also lost their lives during the same period.On World Elephant Day, the situation highlights a key challenge for Odisha: protecting a stable elephant population while ensuring enough safe habitat for the animals and reducing risks to people living near forests.The state government has prepared an elephant conservation and management policy aimed at maintaining the elephant population within the ecological capacity of its habitats and reducing conflict. Three elephant reserves have been notified in Mayurbhanj, Mahanadi and Sambalpur, while 11 major elephant corridors are being protected to facilitate the safe movement of elephants.BookThe Forest Department is also working to improve elephant habitats by planting bamboo and fruit-bearing trees, creating artificial water bodies and strengthening wildlife healthcare and rescue facilities.The figures, however, underline that conservation cannot be measured only by the number of elephants. For Odisha, the larger task is to ensure that elephants have sufficient and connected habitats while people living around forests remain safe.
World Elephant Day: Odisha faces growing challenge of human-elephant conflict
