This week a herd of five entered Ekamra Kanan village, contiguous to the sanctuary. On being chased, they crossed the Kuakhai river and entered Naharkanta, outside Bhubaneshwar.
This drew a crowd and a foolhardy resident was trampled to death while trying to photograph the pachyderms. Some press photographers too were injured.
Declining forest cover has shrunk grazing areas for the elephants. The government is digging a trench on one side of the sanctuary. This will only prevent the animals from straying from the southern side and is no solution.
