‘Odisha has turned into a graveyard of elephants’

Due to habitat loss, relentless conflict with humans and a host of unnatural reasons, Odisha has now turned into a graveyard of elephants.

The Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO) viewed this at a Press meet here on Friday. Members lamented that poaching, electrocution, train accident and open wells have been leading reasons for unnatural deaths of pachyderms.

As many as five elephants have been electrocuted in Angul district in since September 2017, they lamented.

Odisha has lost 167 elephants due to electrocution in 18 years since the year 2000. While there were 77 such deaths between 2000 and April 1, 2010, 90 others were killed in just eight years, averaging more than 11 per year.

Live wire poaching traps, sagging overhead lines and electrified fences are the three methods of electrocution of elephants in Odisha. About 63 per cent of the electrocution deaths happen due to live wire poaching only. Out of 90 deaths, 33 were due to sagging lines and 57 happened due to live wire poaching. This reveals absence of patrolling, they said.

Nearly 15 per cent of the total elephant deaths in Odisha is due to electrocution and among all the unnatural causes of elephant deaths, 41 per cent is due to electrocution.

The distribution companies are not maintaining minimum height of spreading live wire at many places and not conducting periodical inspections.

There is a need to set up reinforced electric poles fitted with spikes to prevent elephants rubbing against them and lifting of sagging overhead power lines.  The overhead wires across all elephant habitats and movement zones should be insulated and defunct solar powered fences should be removed.

WSO Secretary Dr Biswajit Mohanty said the organisation has demanded that the Forest Minister monitor progress of steps being taken for protection of elephants on a monthly basis and fix responsibility for officials against unnatural deaths of elephants.