ROURKELA: Senior forest officials of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh resolved to work together for protection of elephants and their habitats at an inter-state coordination meeting held at Rourkela on Wednesday.
Discussions focused on effective monitoring of elephants in the three states and the ways in which Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh can benefit from emulating successful models of Odisha.
Presentations were made on use of AI cameras in Rourkela forest division to prevent elephants from train mishaps, use of drones with thermal cameras in Keonjhar for better monitoring of jumbo herds, rescue of injured elephants, use of Anukampa application and web portal for faster disbursal of compensation against property damages and human casualties besides the role of rapid response teams in handling conflict situation.
Presentations were also made on monitoring elephants through radio collaring and role of electricity department and railway authorities to protect the jumbos. Divisional forest officers (DFOs) of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh elaborated on ongoing measures in their respective divisions towards management of elephants.
Regional chief conservator of forests (RCCF), Rourkela P Ramaswamy said the annual meeting under the regional wildlife conservation plan aims at strengthening collaboration with the Forest departments of adjacent Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to ensure protection of elephants and long-term measures for sustaining their population. Ramaswamy said 2,103 elephants have been counted across eight circles in Odisha. Rourkela and Bhawanipatna Circles witnessed significant growth in elephant population during the winter compared to summer. This seasonal variation suggests large-scale inter-state movement, particularly from Jharkhand and West Bengal, with some elephants also migrating from Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh into Odisha.
He said in Rourkela circle, elephants traditionally migrate from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to Rourkela, Keonjhar and Sundargarh divisions. Permanent presence of 462 elephants in Rourkela and 144 jumbos in Sambalpur circle highlights the critical importance of safeguarding Odisha’s elephant habitats and migration corridors.
Stress was laid on preservation and protection of Odisha’s 14 traditional elephant corridors including the four inter-state ones covering Odisha and Jharkhand.
Among others, PCCF (Wildlife), Odisha Prem Kumar Jha and senior forest officials of Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Sambalpur and Rourkela circles attended the meet.