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Jump in jumbo population

BHUBANESWAR: Orissa government claimed that State's elephant population swelled to 1886 this year, a jump of 24 from 1862 jumbos counted in 2007 last.

As per the 2010 Census, which was recently made public, the number of elephants has increased in 21 of total 44 forest divisions, elephants are found to be decreasing in 15 divisions and the population in eight divisions remains unchanged.

“If one goes through the last four elephant censuses, he would find that the growth trend in elephant population is more or less maintained,” said P. N. Padhi, Chief Wildlife Warden, here on Saturday. The highest variation in elephant population has been recorded in Similipal Tiger Reserve where the number of big mammals has gone up from 298 in 2007 to 331 in 2010 registering an increase of 33.

In Satkoshia (wildlife) division, 30 new elephants were enumerated in the census taken up during April last. Similarly, Dhenkanal forest division reports an increase of 25 elephants compared to the last census.

Chandaka (wildlife) division on the outskirts of the Capital City has less elephants during 2010 census than that of 2007 census. This year, 44 jumbos were found to be missing from the 67 in 2007. Bamra (wildlife) division and Angul division have 43 and 36 elephants respectively less than that of 2007 figure.

“The variation in population in individual forest divisions does not give the actual picture. Since elephant is a long ranging animal, it can travel several km distance in one day. Elephants of one division could be found in forest division in other district,” said the chief wildlife warden.

He said it had happened in the case of Chandaka and Berhampur division. While Chandaka has recorded decrease of 44 elephants, Berhampur division has gained 28 elephants.

“Elephants from Chandaka wildlife division had migrated to Berhampur during past two years,” Mr. Padhi said

In 1999, as many as 1827 elephants were found within the State border. In the subsequent census that was taken up in 2002, the population went up to 1841. In 2007, the trend of increase in elephants by around 20 mammals remained unchanged. About 1862 elephants were found roaming during the 2007. This census gave a figure of 1886.

“We had taken utmost care to eliminate duplication in elephant census. Census is purely based on sighting,” he said.

Environmentalists, however, raised doubts over genuineness of the census. “It seems to be a desktop census. How can there be rise in elephants when large scale mining and dwindling food base inside forests have disturbed the population? There has not been transparency in the counting,” alleged Biswajit Mohanty, secretary of Wildlife Society of Orissa.

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