Forests in Orissa are disappearing at an alarming rate. Sources in the Government say that in last three to four decades nearly one fourth of the States forest cover has depleted, thanks to indiscriminate tree felling, mindless prawn culture and the nexus between forests officials and the timber mafia. The trend of forest destruction has taken a heavy toll of the sylvan wealth in some of the richest wild life sanctuaries of the State like the Bhitarkanika sanctuary and the Chandaka elephant sanctuary on the outskirts of the capital city.