Kendrapada: A lone male elephant wreaked havoc in several villages of Jajpur district on Wednesday, causing panic among residents and disrupting life. The tusker that got separated from its five-member herd in Bairi forest, ventured into villages under Dharmasala and Sukinda blocks, damaging crops and destroying two houses in Deuli and Balukhai villages. The incident forced closure of shops in Jaraka Bazaar and briefly halted traffic on NH-16 between Jaraka and Kuakhia.
“We have deployed additional forest personnel to guide the animal back to its habitat,” said Aditya Pradhan, forest range officer of Bairi forest range. “Our staff is continuously monitoring the elephant’s movements, but it’s a challenging task as we must ensure both human and animal safety,” he said.
Despite warnings from forest officials, several youngsters attempted to take selfies with the elephant, while some villagers were seen throwing stones at the animal. “This is the first time a wild elephant has entered these villages and curious onlookers are not heeding our warnings to maintain distance,” Pradhan added.
Biswajit Mohanty, secretary of Wildlife Society of Odisha, attributes these incidents to habitat destruction caused by rampant mining activities in the region. “Mining operations have led to the drying up of natural water sources and created significant air, water, and noise pollution. This is forcing wildlife, including elephants, to venture into villages in search of food and water,” he said.
Forest officials have urged residents to remain vigilant, avoid night movements in fields, and travel in groups when necessary.