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They must have gone travelling when census was on: Officials
Some 44 elephants have gone missing from Chandaka-Damapada wildlife sanctuary in Orissa. The report has surfaced at a time when recent elephant population in the state has gone up to 1886 from 1862. The 2010 elephant census, made public recently, claimed that in 44 forest divisions the population of elephants has increased. But in 15 divisions, the population of elephants has decreased, while population in 8 divisions remains unchanged. The forest officials are satisfied with the census result. They acknowledge that the trend in elephant population is more or less static. The highest variation in elephant population has been recorded in Similipal Tiger Reserve. The number of big mammals has gone up here from 298 in 2007 to 331 in 2010, registering an increase of 33 elephants.
Likewise, in Satkoshia wildlife division 30 new elephants were enumerated in the census. Similarly, Dhenkanal forest division reports an increase of 25 elephants. But the situation in Chandaka (wildlife) division, which is adjacent to the Capital city Bhubaneswar, is just reverse. In 2007 census, some 67 elephants were found in Chandaka. But now their number stands at 23. The sudden drop in their population has alarmed wildlife activists and animal lovers. They have urged the authorities to take immediate action and save the giant mammals otherwise they would perish.
P. N. Padhi, chief Wildlife Warden, said: 'The variation in population in individual forest divisions does not give the actual picture. As elephant is a roaming animal, it can travel several kilometers in a single day. Elephant of one division could be found in another forest division. This could have happened in the case of Chandaka division.' But some wildlife activists are not convinced with his argument. They want the whole issue to be probed properly so that the real story is known. S.N. Patra, working president of Orissa Environmental Society, said: 'Rapid urbanization, decreasing of forest coverage, shortage of adequate food and water and mostly increasing human activities close to sanctuaries are the reasons that force elephants to move from one sanctuary to other place. They get distracted.'
During the last decade, the capital city has extended in seven different directions by engulfing the fringe villages and protected areas of the sanctuary. The government in an attempt to satisfy the ever growing demand for land has stretched the plot lands to near sanctuary limits. This has led to breaks in the elephant corridor thereby leading to greater elephant human conflicts, especially in the harvesting season. Patra added: 'Is the growth of the city so important that we can afford to sacrifice the forests and wildlife?' Chandaka forest division authority does not agree with the argument forwarded by activists.
DFO of Chandaka wild life division A.K. Pattnayak said: 'Elephants are more interested in travelling from one place to another. When the census was on, they had migrated to another place. Now they are returning and their number may be more than sixty. There is not a single instance of poaching and killing of elephant so far recorded during the last three years. So, why should we panic?'
They must have gone travelling when census was on: Officials
Some 44 elephants have gone missing from Chandaka-Damapada wildlife sanctuary in Orissa. The report has surfaced at a time when recent elephant population in the state has gone up to 1886 from 1862. The 2010 elephant census, made public recently, claimed that in 44 forest divisions the population of elephants has increased. But in 15 divisions, the population of elephants has decreased, while population in 8 divisions remains unchanged. The forest officials are satisfied with the census result. They acknowledge that the trend in elephant population is more or less static. The highest variation in elephant population has been recorded in Similipal Tiger Reserve. The number of big mammals has gone up here from 298 in 2007 to 331 in 2010, registering an increase of 33 elephants.
Likewise, in Satkoshia wildlife division 30 new elephants were enumerated in the census. Similarly, Dhenkanal forest division reports an increase of 25 elephants. But the situation in Chandaka (wildlife) division, which is adjacent to the Capital city Bhubaneswar, is just reverse. In 2007 census, some 67 elephants were found in Chandaka. But now their number stands at 23. The sudden drop in their population has alarmed wildlife activists and animal lovers. They have urged the authorities to take immediate action and save the giant mammals otherwise they would perish.
P. N. Padhi, chief Wildlife Warden, said: 'The variation in population in individual forest divisions does not give the actual picture. As elephant is a roaming animal, it can travel several kilometers in a single day. Elephant of one division could be found in another forest division. This could have happened in the case of Chandaka division.' But some wildlife activists are not convinced with his argument. They want the whole issue to be probed properly so that the real story is known. S.N. Patra, working president of Orissa Environmental Society, said: 'Rapid urbanization, decreasing of forest coverage, shortage of adequate food and water and mostly increasing human activities close to sanctuaries are the reasons that force elephants to move from one sanctuary to other place. They get distracted.'
During the last decade, the capital city has extended in seven different directions by engulfing the fringe villages and protected areas of the sanctuary. The government in an attempt to satisfy the ever growing demand for land has stretched the plot lands to near sanctuary limits. This has led to breaks in the elephant corridor thereby leading to greater elephant human conflicts, especially in the harvesting season. Patra added: 'Is the growth of the city so important that we can afford to sacrifice the forests and wildlife?' Chandaka forest division authority does not agree with the argument forwarded by activists.
DFO of Chandaka wild life division A.K. Pattnayak said: 'Elephants are more interested in travelling from one place to another. When the census was on, they had migrated to another place. Now they are returning and their number may be more than sixty. There is not a single instance of poaching and killing of elephant so far recorded during the last three years. So, why should we panic?'
