Poachers have killed 73 elephants in the State since 2005 and 157 persons arrested during the period on the charge of killing wild animals.
Of the 73 jumbos killed, 57 were shot dead and 16 were poisoned, Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshree Routray on Tuesday told the Assembly in a written reply.
A total of 147 elephants have died since 2005, of which 68 were electrocuted and six died in train accidents, he said. To another question, Routray said 78 elephants died in Keonjhar district alone from 2001 to 2012.
While poachers killed eight elephants, 29 jumbos died due to electrocution, 16 due to different diseases, 10 due to unknown reasons and seven in accidents.
Only death of eight elephants was natural during the last 12 years, the minister said.
This year’s census counted 1,862 pachyderms in Odisha jungles.