Human toll in human-elephant conflict rises during summer, Odisha study finds

Harvesting forest products from April to May, and scarcity of fodder and water for animals, are among chief causes

Human deaths increase over human-elephant encounters in Odisha during the summer, environmental pressure group Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO) said here on Thursday. WSO analysed data on humans trampled by elephants and the incidents of encounters between villagers and elephants in Odisha in the past four years. “Encounters with elephants see a sharp rise during the summer as elephants feed mainly on fruits due to the shortage of fodder and water in the forests,” said WSO’s Biswajit Mohanty.