Keonjhar: Apprehension of the recurrence of man-elephant confrontation looms large in central Odisha districts with the mango season fast approaching.

The man-elephant conflict could go up sharply in districts such as Dhekanal, Angul, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Deogarh as jumbos have developed liking towards the "king of fruit" in recent year.

"There is every possibility of marauding elephants switching their habitation corridors to mango orchards in the forested areas. We have sounded alert, asking the forest-side villagers to remain extra-cautious while venturing into forest for fuel wood or minor forest produce," said Ghatagaon forest range officer Ashok Kumar Nayak.

"Last year, the man-jumbo conflicts had been witnessed during the mango production season. It may occur this year also as the jumbos' food habit is undergoing change. Mango is now an attraction for elephants. Little precautions during the season could bring down confrontation and human deaths," he said.

Such conflicts have become a recurring phenomenon during the harvesting of paddy crop. "Of late, the elephants have developed a fondness for fruit varieties, specifically the mango. So, they are getting attracted to it during summer," he said.

At least 20 people were trampled by elephants during the last mango season in Dhekanal, Angul, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Deogarh forest divisions. As many as 84 human deaths had been recorded between April 2017 and March 9, 2018, which is one of worst years from point of view of human-elephant conflicts. During the same period, 71 jumbos have died. The current year which would end on March 31 has registered 117 elephant-human confrontations - highest in the past four years.

Unlike tigers, elephants are not territorial and migrate long distances. About four months ago, elephants from far-off Jharkhand had intruded the Keojhar forest areas.

Odisha, which is home to 1,976 elephants and houses 70 per cent of total elephant population in eastern India, has been witnessing a deteriorating human-elephant conflict with jumbo depredation spreading to 26 out of 30 districts of the state. The wild animals wander villages searching for food because of shrinking habitats. The protected parks and wildlife sanctuaries, conferred habitation corridors of the elephants, face the onslaught of massive encroachment from people who live and forage, or graze cattle in the forests.