Bhubaneswar, Dec 3: Odisha has reported the deaths of 34 leopards and 3 Royal Bengal Tigers in its forests over the past five years, Forests, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Khuntia informed the Assembly on Tuesday.

Responding to a query by Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, the Minister disclosed that between 2019-20 and November 2024, 17 leopard deaths were caused by poaching, three by electrocution, one in a railway accident, and another in an unspecified mishap. Additionally, three leopards died in road accidents, three from disease, and four due to natural causes, while the cause of three deaths remains unknown.

Regarding Royal Bengal Tigers, one death was attributed to poaching, another to internal conflicts among tigers, and one remains unexplained.

The 2024 All Odisha Tiger Estimation Report lists the state’s tiger population at 30, while the Leopard Estimation Report records 696 leopards. These figures underline the pressing need for enhanced wildlife protection and conservation efforts in the region.

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