Bhubaneswar: Poachers have killed two Royal Bengal Tigers (RBTs) and a dozen of leopards in different forest areas of the State in the past three years, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ramsingkhuntia said today.
In response to a query of BJP legislator Chakramani Kanhar in the Assembly, the Minister said two Royal Bengal Tigers and 12 leopards were killed by poachers while skins of six RBTs and 63 leopards were seized during the last three years.
As per elephant census conducted in 2024, 2103 elephants are there in 38 forest divisions of Odisha, of which highest 291 elephants were found in Dhenkanal forest division, he said.
Maximum elephant deaths (41) were also reported from Dhenkanal forest division during the three years, Shri Singkhuntia said.
For the protection of the wild animals, the government has taken several steps including, establishment of anti-poaching camps, forest patrolling, tracking movement of wild animals using technology, deployment of anti-poaching, anti-depression squads & Gajasathis, raising fodder plantations, and coordination meeting with rail, energy and fisheries & animal resources development departments, etc, he informed.
As per tiger census 2023-24, 30 tigers were found in Odisha, of which, 27 were found in the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) while Keonjhar territorial and Keonjhar wildlife, Paralakhemundi territorial, and Hirakud wildlife have one tiger each.
Similarly, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had conducted the last leopard census in Odisha in 2022, during which, 568 leopards were found in the State.