Notwithstanding the death of 156 elephants in the past two years due to various reasons, the jumbo population in Odisha has increased marginally to 1,976 this year from 1,954 recorded in 2015.
The 2017 Elephant Census report released by Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshree Routray on Monday revealed that the number of elephants rose by 22 in the State as against the 2015 census figure.
Notably, the elephant population was 1,930 in 2012.
As per the latest census, 344 pachyderms were identified as tuskers and 1,092 as cow elephants while there are 502 elephant calves. Besides, the Forest Department could not identify the sex of 38 elephants.
As many as 1,536 elephants were enumerated in three elephant reserves (Mayurbhanj, Mahanadi and Sambalpur), which account for 77.73 per cent of the total elephant population in the State. These areas have seven sanctuaries.
Five other sanctuaries have a total elephant population of 79. Forest Department officials have counted 361 elephants outside the elephant reservesand sanctuaries.
Compared to 2015, the male elephant population is up by three. However, the number of female elephants has decreased by four. The number of elephant calves has gone up by 12, said the census report.
The highest number of 330 elephants was found in the Similipal reserve (core areas) while 169 were counted in the Dhenkanal division.
The Forest Department engaged a whopping number of 5,847 persons for the census operation.