By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, July 3, 2017 : Elephant population in Odisha has gone up by 22 only according to state forest and environment minister Bijayshree Routray.

Releasing the 2017 elephant census report on Monday, Routray said, the number of elephants in the State went up from 1,954 in 2015 to 1,976 in the current year, despite a spate of reported jumbo deaths across the State.

The census, conducted in 43 wildlife divisions, showed there were 1,536 elephants in three elephant reserves of Mayurbhanj, Mahanadi and Sambalpur, which accounted for 77.73 per cent of the total jumbo population in the state.

Similarly, five other sanctuaries have an elephant population of 79, while there were 361 elephants outside different elephant reserves and sanctuaries, the minister added.

Out of the total jumbo population, 344 were identified as tuskers, while 1,092 were females and 502 were young elephants or calves. The sex of 38 elephants could not be determined during the census operation, said the report.

The census report showed that the core area of the Similipal reserve was home to the highest number of 330 elephants, followed by 169 in Dhenkanal forest division, the minister said.

As many as 5,847 regular field personnel were engaged for the census operation in which researchers, wildlife experts and NGOs were also took part.

The rise in jumbo population was significant as increase in their number took place despite death due to many reasons like mishap, electrocution and poaching, according to experts.