NEW DELHI: The Union environment ministry has initiated an independent inquiry into the death of 10 elephants in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve of Madhya Pradesh and said preventive measures are being taken by state officials to avoid the possibility of such incidents.
Referring to preliminary information shared by the state govt, the ministry on Saturday said the death of the elephants may be because of poisoning, but the final cause will only be ascertained after a thorough inquiry, detailed postmortem reports, results of histopathological and toxicological reports, and other corroborative evidence.
Out of those ten dead elephants, one was male and nine were female. Amongst the ten dead elephants, six were juvenile/sub-adults and four were adults.
"The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) of the ministry has constituted a team to investigate the death of ten elephants," said an official, noting that the central inquiry would be in addition to the state-level investigation which is being done by a five-member committee.
"The matter is also being inquired into by the head of State Tiger Strike Force (STSF). The STSF has combed the forests and the adjoining villages and is conducting an in-depth inquiry about the incident," said the ministry in a statement. It added that monitoring of other elephant herds in and around Bandhavgarh reserve has, meanwhile, been enhanced.
According to information shared by the state officials with the ministry, the patrolling staff of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve detected the death of four elephants in Salkhania beats of Pataur and Khiatuli range of the Reserve in Madhya Pradesh on October 29. On further combing of the adjoining areas, six more elephants were found sick or unconscious in the vicinity.
The field staff and local veterinary officers started medication of the sick elephants, which was supported by a team of veterinarians from the School of Wildlife Forensic and Health (SWFH). "However, four sick elephants succumbed to death on October 30. Further, even after continuous medication and treatment, two remaining sick and unconscious elephants lost their lives on October 31," said the ministry.
It said, "The information revealed that the herd of thirteen elephants raided the Kodo millet crop in the vicinity of the forest. The postmortem of the ten elephants was done by a team of 14 veterinarians/wildlife veterinarians. The viscera after the postmortem have been sent to IVRI Izatnagar, Bareilly and FSL, Sagar for toxicological and histopathological investigations on November 1."
It said the blood and other samples, sent to SWFH on October 30 while treating the sick elephants, have, however, prima facie indicated the presence of toxins in the samples sent.
Referring to preliminary information shared by the state govt, the ministry on Saturday said the death of the elephants may be because of poisoning, but the final cause will only be ascertained after a thorough inquiry, detailed postmortem reports, results of histopathological and toxicological reports, and other corroborative evidence.
Out of those ten dead elephants, one was male and nine were female. Amongst the ten dead elephants, six were juvenile/sub-adults and four were adults.
"The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) of the ministry has constituted a team to investigate the death of ten elephants," said an official, noting that the central inquiry would be in addition to the state-level investigation which is being done by a five-member committee.
"The matter is also being inquired into by the head of State Tiger Strike Force (STSF). The STSF has combed the forests and the adjoining villages and is conducting an in-depth inquiry about the incident," said the ministry in a statement. It added that monitoring of other elephant herds in and around Bandhavgarh reserve has, meanwhile, been enhanced.
According to information shared by the state officials with the ministry, the patrolling staff of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve detected the death of four elephants in Salkhania beats of Pataur and Khiatuli range of the Reserve in Madhya Pradesh on October 29. On further combing of the adjoining areas, six more elephants were found sick or unconscious in the vicinity.
The field staff and local veterinary officers started medication of the sick elephants, which was supported by a team of veterinarians from the School of Wildlife Forensic and Health (SWFH). "However, four sick elephants succumbed to death on October 30. Further, even after continuous medication and treatment, two remaining sick and unconscious elephants lost their lives on October 31," said the ministry.
It said, "The information revealed that the herd of thirteen elephants raided the Kodo millet crop in the vicinity of the forest. The postmortem of the ten elephants was done by a team of 14 veterinarians/wildlife veterinarians. The viscera after the postmortem have been sent to IVRI Izatnagar, Bareilly and FSL, Sagar for toxicological and histopathological investigations on November 1."
It said the blood and other samples, sent to SWFH on October 30 while treating the sick elephants, have, however, prima facie indicated the presence of toxins in the samples sent.
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