Odisha Sees Record Human Deaths in Elephant Conflicts, WSO Warns

Odisha recorded the highest number of human deaths in 2024-25 due to elephant encounters, with 171 fatalities, according to a study by the Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO). The state has seen 790 elephant deaths over the past decade, with electrocution identified as the leading cause of unnatural deaths. The study also notes Odisha's elephant population at about 912, per a census by the Wildlife Institute of India, a figure that sits behind states like Karnataka and Assam but overlaps with high human settlement risk. Since 2019-20, human kills by elephants in Odisha have risen sharply, crossing 115 and peaking at 171 in 2024-25, signaling escalating conflict. A February 10, 2026 estimate places the highest human deaths in Dhenkanal district (24), followed by Keonjhar (28), Mayurbhanj (15), Angul (13), Sundargarh (12), and Deogarh (5) in 2025-26. Odisha also recorded 57 deaths in human-elephant encounters from April to June in 2024-25. The rate of human deaths per 100 elephants for 2024-25 is 17 in Odisha — the highest in the country, compared with roughly 1 per 100 elephants in Karnataka. The analyst adds that despite the alarming numbers, the government has largely remained a silent watcher as families lose their breadwinners. The data also show that human-elephant conflicts are not confined to Odisha; Jharkhand reported 87 deaths, West Bengal 53, Assam 74, and Tamil Nadu 61, highlighting a nationwide pattern that demands urgent coexistence measures. The rising toll underscores the need for improved corridors,community awareness, and targeted protections for vulnerable districts, including Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, and Keonjhar, where casualties have been heaviest.

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