Bhubaneswar: Revival of bamboo forest in Chandaka wildlife sanctuary, on outskirts of the city, has helped in increasing elephant population in the habitat that once had just one or two elephants.
Bamboo forest that covers over 40% of Chandaka’s 193 sq km area is the primary fodder of elephants. Bamboo plants grow rapidly and the pachyderms are aware of it and thus stick to the habitat.Breeding of elephants has also improved significantly in Chandaka. “We are recording the birth of around four to five calves a year. During the census in May, 45 elephants had been sighted with 27 being females, four calves and rest being tuskers. Now it has gone up to 51. Since food is available now, they hardly migrate,” said divisional forest officer (Chandaka) Sarat Behera.
If there is ample amount of forest cover, elephants don’t stray into human habitation. The incidence of straying has reduced drastically though currently there are 45 elephants in Chandaka. Earlier, Chandaka elephants were known to migrate to neighbouring forests in search of food, wildlife officials said.
“It is good that the elephant population in Chandaka is stable now. But it is a small habitat close to the city. The elephants often move to the neighbouring Athagarh forest division crossing the Mahanadi,” said wildlife expert Biswajit Mohanty.
In 2015, Chandaka authorities planted 5,000 banana trees in the sanctuary for food of the pachyderms. But later it was observed that the jumbos were more attracted to freshly harvested paddy than banana. An adult elephant eats about 200 kg of food a day, wildlife officials said. In the 2012-13 elephant census, the authorities recorded the presence of 23 elephants in the sanctuary.

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