Bhubaneswar: State reported death of 2832 wild animals including tigers and elephants in five years, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia informed Odisha Legislative Assembly 25 March.
In a written reply to a query by BJP lawmaker Padma Lochan Panda, the Minister said 2832 elephants, tigers and other wild animals died in Odisha during 2020-21 to 2024-25 (so far), of which 806 wild animals died due to poaching.
A total of 4043 persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in killing of the wild animals during the five years, he said.
As per the data provided by the minister, highest wild animal deaths were reported in Dhenkanal forest division. As many as 318 wild animals died in the division during the five years.
Similarly, death of 197 wild animals were reported in Athagarh forest division, followed by Angul (151), Keonjhar (129), Balasore wildlife (117) Nayagarh (113), Chilika wildlife (103), and Keonjhar wildlife (102).
Out of 806 wild animals killed by poachers, 75 such deaths were reported in Dhenkanal forest division while 63 animals were poached in Nayagarh division, 55 in each of Athamallik & Similipal South wildlife divisions, Shri Khuntia said.
The other forest divisions accounts for higher number of poaching deaths during the period includes Athagarh (50), Boudh (31), Redhakhol (29), Keonjhar (29), Cuttack (27), Rajnagarh wildlife (27), and Satkosia wildlife (26).
Similarly, 799 people were killed and 1962 others were injured in elephant and other wild animal attacks during the period, he informed.
The Minister further informed the House that the highest 147 persons were killed by wild animals in the Dhenkanal forest division of the state while 76 persons died due to wild animal attacks in the Angul division during the five years.
Baripada forest division reported 54 such death cases, which was followed by Rourkal forest division where 47 individuals died in man-animal conflicts. Similarly, 45 people who became victims of wild animals died in the Bonai division, he added.
The State Government has been providing an ex-gratia of Rs 6 lakh to the next of kin of the person, who died in wild animal attack.