Berhampur, June 21: The forest division here has registered a steady decline in the number of elephants.
Assistant conservator of forests of the Berhampur division Trinath Patnaik said the number of elephants was 37 during the 2010 census. It had further declined to 35 during 2012 and 20 during the 2015 census.
"Though the number of elephants is on the decline, there is nothing to worry. Every year, elephants migrate from the Barbara jungle near Khurda and Lakhari forests in Gajapati district to forests in Ganjam in search of food for a certain period. This movement continues," said Patnaik.
Though jumbos do not have any permanent habitat or corridor in the Berhampur forest division, those that migrate from the Barbara jungle and Lakhari forests, treat the Berhampur forests ideal for their habitat.
Earlier, the elephants used to stay in the Berhampur forest division for two to three months. But now, such practice has been increased to seven to eight months, said Patnaik.
Berhampur divisional forest officer Ashish Kumar Behera said the elephants came to Khallikote via Chilika from the Barbara jungle and to the Kerandimala hills via Ramnaguda and Tamana from Lakhari forests.
"A herd of 17 elephants, which stayed in the Kerandimala hills and Tamana, again moved towards Lakhari forests this year. A group of seven jumbos, which migrated from the Barbara jungle, are still staying at Khallikote," said Behera.
Sources said the elephants returned to their habitat on their own when the paddy and sugarcane harvesting got over.
Eighteen elephants were killed in Ganjam district in 2012. Among those, six elephants were killed after being hit by the speeding Coromandel Express near Subalaya railway level crossing. Of the 18 elephants killed, nine were females, four males and five calves. The deaths were reported from the forest ranges of Muzagada, Khallikote, Buguda, Gallery and Tarsingi. Sources said that while seven jumbos were killed on railway tracks, six died of electrocution and the others of disease or old age.
The train movement has been restrained and there is no such mishap since 2012, forest department sources said.
