Arun Kumar Das
BHUBANESWAR, Nov 14: Elephants in Odisha face multiple threats that endanger their safety and life. Electrocution, road and train kills, canals and poachers have taken a heavy toll of India’s heritage animal since the last three decades in the state.
However, despite the state government’s claim of commitment to elephant protection in Odisha, some dangerous threats remain unaddressed, thus exposing the animals to a considerable danger.
For example, the iron spikes, which have emerged as the latest threat to elephants of Keonjhar district in Odisha. They can cause serious injury to elephants unless removed.
After observing such spikes in prime elephant habitat of Telkoi block , Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO) filed a complaint with the Chief Wildlife Warden, Odisha on 13th April,2026 with photographic evidence.
WSO had demanded directions to the Public Works Department to cut these iron spikes to prevent serious injury to elephants and other wildlife that cross this road through the dense forests of Keonjhar.
Concrete protection embankments of low height walls have been constructed on the road side to protect the road from landslides at Kusuma ghat on Kanjipani-Telkoi road.
Some of these walls have iron rods jutting out on the top. These dangerous rods should have been cut after these walls were constructed.
According to WSO Secretary Biswajit Mohanty, “We estimated 400 running metres of walls covered with spikes which ranged from 4 inch to 6 inch height. The exposed spikes pose a significant threat to wildlife which descends the hill slope to move into the valley.
Deer, sambhar, bear and large mammals like elephants may be impaled on such spikes at night or while fleeing to escape a predator. Since the walls are on the forested hill slope a wild animal has little chance of halting its rapid descent due to the sharp slope.”
The complaint remains unaddressed and the dangerous spikes continue to exist despite a reminder to the Wildlife Wing on September 14, 2026.
The department has failed to take action to mitigate this threat though more than seven months have passed. Odisha is known as the elephant graveyard of India due to the extremely high death rate and a new threat like steel spikes will endanger them further. (NVI)
