Elephants face threat in Keonjhar

The Statesman
September 27, 2007


KEONJHAR, Sept. 27: The recent death of two elephants in the rail accident and another one due to electrocution in Keonjhar district has brought to forefront the threat faced by the pachyderms of this area.
Sources said that there were 112 elephants in Keonjhar in 2002. In 2005 the number came down to 69. In 2007 the number of elephants in this district is only 51.
While there are eight males, 14 females,and six calves in the Keonjhar forest division, in the Anandapur wild division there are 18 elephants, including 2 calves.
Every year elephants die for various reasons. Available figures indicate that the elephants of Champua range, where Joda and Barbil mining areas fall are in constant danger due to unplanned mining activities. The man-elephant conflict is not new in Keonjhar. This conflict harms both the sides.
It is true that poaching and revenge-killing have considerably affected the population of pachyderms, but at the same time since 2002, these wild animals have killed 59 people, injured 103, damaged 261 houses, partially, damaged 1,030 houses fully and destroyed 2,095 acres of crops.