Bhubaneswar: As many as 1145 people were killed in the human-elephant conflict in the last decade in Odisha, informed Forest, Environment & Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia. 

In a written reply to Khordha MLA Prasanta Kumar Jagadev in the Assembly, the Minister told the House that 1145 human deaths were reported in encounters with elephants in Odisha from 2013-14 to 2023-24. 

While 41 elephants fell prey to poachers in forests in the last 10 years, 719 elephants have died due to other reasons during the period, he said. 

There are 19 sanctuaries in Odisha that house different species and wildlife including elephants, royal bengal tigers, leopards, bears, sambar, Gayal (wild ox), different deer varieties, pangolins, wild boars, foxes, jackals, hynas, crested porcupines, barking deer, 3 types of crocodiles --- saltwater, mugger and gharial --- sea turtles, snake and bird species, the minister said.