Elephants confined to 15 sq km in 193 sq km Chandaka: Officials
Bhubaneswar: Elephants in Chandaka wildlife sanctuary are confined to only 15 sq km area near Bharatpur, which is close to the city though the sanctuary sprawls over 193 sq km, revealed wildlife authorities. While one adult elephant requires at least 10 sq km, 18 resident elephants of Chandaka have been roaming in 15 sq km, resulting in frequent man-animal conflict as the pachyderms stray into human habitations close to residential areas.
According to Chandaka authorities, the 15 sq km area has become their core habitat because of fodder and inviolate space, while the other side of the sanctuary, a vast expanse of more than 100 sq km, still has four villages inside, making elephants feel threatened. “Ideally, elephants are long-ranging animals and they should shuttle within the sanctuary. But they have been avoiding the other side (Dampada side) for long. At times, they stray into human habitation in Bhubaneswar and then move towards Khurda. Earlier, the elephants used to move towards Athgarh and then return,” said Sarat Behera, divisional forest officer, Chandaka.
People of five villages — Nuakua, Dholakatha, Behentasahi, Pithakhia, and Dahanigadia — are keen that they be relocated to a place of their choice outside the sanctuary boundary. Freeing the core of human interference will help authorities ensure better protection and restore elephant habitat for which Chandaka is famous.
Recently, officials said the revival of the bamboo forest in Chandaka helped recover the elephant population of the habitat. There are currently a good number of healthy adult elephants in the sanctuary. In search of food, Chandaka elephants were also known to migrate to other neighbouring forests. “Bamboo leaf is the primary fodder of the elephants. If it is available in any forest in plenty, elephants don’t stray into human habitations. One of the reasons why elephants stick to the Bharatpur part of the sanctuary is the robust bamboo forest. The incidence of Chandaka elephants straying into human habitation has reduced compared to earlier times,” added Behera.
He said once the villages are relocated and more bamboo plantations are established towards Dampada, new areas will be available for the pachyderms to explore within Chandaka.
As per the last elephant census, there was a significant rise in elephant numbers in Angul, Athgarh, Dhenkanal, Baripada, Chandaka, Khurda, Bonai, and Keonjhar divisions. Elephant population was found to have decreased in Similipal-north, Similipal-south divisions, Balasore and Rairangpur wildlife divisions, and Balangir forest division.
According to Chandaka authorities, the 15 sq km area has become their core habitat because of fodder and inviolate space, while the other side of the sanctuary, a vast expanse of more than 100 sq km, still has four villages inside, making elephants feel threatened. “Ideally, elephants are long-ranging animals and they should shuttle within the sanctuary. But they have been avoiding the other side (Dampada side) for long. At times, they stray into human habitation in Bhubaneswar and then move towards Khurda. Earlier, the elephants used to move towards Athgarh and then return,” said Sarat Behera, divisional forest officer, Chandaka.
People of five villages — Nuakua, Dholakatha, Behentasahi, Pithakhia, and Dahanigadia — are keen that they be relocated to a place of their choice outside the sanctuary boundary. Freeing the core of human interference will help authorities ensure better protection and restore elephant habitat for which Chandaka is famous.
Recently, officials said the revival of the bamboo forest in Chandaka helped recover the elephant population of the habitat. There are currently a good number of healthy adult elephants in the sanctuary. In search of food, Chandaka elephants were also known to migrate to other neighbouring forests. “Bamboo leaf is the primary fodder of the elephants. If it is available in any forest in plenty, elephants don’t stray into human habitations. One of the reasons why elephants stick to the Bharatpur part of the sanctuary is the robust bamboo forest. The incidence of Chandaka elephants straying into human habitation has reduced compared to earlier times,” added Behera.
He said once the villages are relocated and more bamboo plantations are established towards Dampada, new areas will be available for the pachyderms to explore within Chandaka.
As per the last elephant census, there was a significant rise in elephant numbers in Angul, Athgarh, Dhenkanal, Baripada, Chandaka, Khurda, Bonai, and Keonjhar divisions. Elephant population was found to have decreased in Similipal-north, Similipal-south divisions, Balasore and Rairangpur wildlife divisions, and Balangir forest division.
