Odisha tops human-elephant conflict deaths in India
Odisha reported the most human deaths from elephant conflicts in 2024-25—171 people lost, which is about 8 deaths for every 100 elephants. That's a much higher rate than anywhere else in India.
Dhenkanal district has been hit especially hard, and over the last five years, these clashes have claimed 624 lives.
In 2024-25, they damaged crops for thousands of farmers.
Mining disrupts elephant corridors, pushes elephants into villages
Mining is disrupting elephant corridors, pushing elephants into villages and sparking more dangerous encounters.
The source does not provide a total number of elephant deaths for 2024-25 (April 2024-March 2025); it reports 171 human deaths in 2024-25.
The government has boosted compensation to ₹10 lakh per victim and expanded support programs like Anukampa 2.0 and Gaja Sathi to help affected communities.
Urgent need to find better ways for humans, elephants
This isn't just about wildlife—it's about people losing their lives and livelihoods as habitats shrink.
Odisha's story shows how urgent it is to find better ways for humans and elephants to safely share space.