Elephant herds in Buguda spark panic among locals

BERHAMPUR: The sighting of elephant herds in Buguda reserve forest, located within the South Ghumusur forest division of Ganjam district, has sent shock waves among the nearby villages. While the herds have not yet ventured into human habitats, their presence has been a cause for concern among the local residents since Wednesday.

Forest officials led by Buguda forester Pradeep Kumar Mishra during their rounds, identified two herds comprising a total of 21 elephants within the reserve forest. “This is an unusual occurrence, as previously there were no reports of elephants in this area. They are likely to have migrated from the nearby Odagaon and Balugaon forest range,” he said.

Mishra however cautioned the residents of Kiriamma and Nuapalli villages, situated near the reserve forest, about being careful and reassured the local community that necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety of both the villagers and the elephants.Efforts are underway to safely guide the herds away from the vicinity and prevent any encroachment into the villages, the forester asserted.