Bandhavgarh deaths: Experts investigate nature of toxins consumed by elephants | Latest news India

Ten elephants belonging to a herd of 13 died in the Madhya Pradesh reserve last week due to what officials said was suspected poisoning after consuming Kodo millet.

According to officials briefed on the case, the School of Wildlife Forensic and Health (SWFH) found toxins in the blood and other samples collected from some elephants. The autopsy showed that the tuskers had consumed a “large quantity” of the crop, which was affected by Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi, one of the officials said, asking not to be named.

“There have been many cases in the past where people and animals have been affected by Kodo poisoning. However, this can only be confirmed with toxicology reports and other evidence. Teams are investigating the cause of death and the nature of the poisons can be ascertained from reports from IVRI (Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly) and FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory), Sagar,” the official added.

However, agricultural experts added that more research is needed as millet damage alone by these naturally occurring fungi is unlikely to cause such rapid and serious consequences in large mammals such as elephants without affecting other animals in the area .

The Union environment ministry on Saturday formed a panel to probe the deaths and directed the state government to set up its own five-member committee for an independent probe. The ministry did not comment on whether the incident was a retaliatory poisoning after the tuskers plundered crops.

“As per the preliminary information shared by the concerned officers of the state of Madhya Pradesh, the death of the elephants could be due to poisoning. The final cause of death will be determined only after investigation, detailed post-mortem reports, results of histopathological and toxicological reports and other supporting evidence,” the ministry said in a note on Saturday.

The ministry also announced that the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) would conduct an independent investigation. State forest officials are monitoring other elephant herds in and around the reserve to prevent similar incidents.

SWFH veterinarian Dr AP Shrivastava, member of the expert committee, said initial investigations showed that mycotoxins found in the bodies were produced by fungi. “In the initial investigation, mycotoxins produced due to mold in Kodo were found in the body of elephants, but the exact toxin and its reason will be found in the toxicology report. The forensic report and toxicology report will be received by the end of this week,” he said.

Three committees are investigating the deaths: the state panel headed by Additional Chief Conservator of Forests L Krishnamoorthy, the State Tiger Strike Force and the WCCB team.

Krishnamoorthy, the additional chief conservator of forests and head of the state panel, said the governments were “not ruling out any foul play in the case nor are they blaming millets alone for deaths.” “It is only a preliminary study that suggested the presence of mycotoxins and kodo in the stomach of elephants. The forensic report will reveal the real reason behind the deaths,” he said.

Experts said it was imperative to wait for full toxicology reports, while stressing that poisoning, accidental or intentional, is rare. “Deaths of elephants due to non-natural causes include railway accidents, electrocutions and poaching. Accidental or intentional poisoning is the rarest form. Preventing such incidents in the future would require a combination of more widespread disease screening mechanisms in wild elephants, prompt and fair compensation for elephant-related crop losses to prevent retaliatory deaths, and better enforcement and sentencing for violations of illegal to discourage killing of elephants. ” says Aritra Kshettry, National Chief for Elephant Conservation, WWF-India.

Kshettry added that forest areas where the giants are continuously expanding their range – including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh – need robust monitoring protocols. “This could include GPS collars and involving local communities in conservation planning for sustainable coexistence between people and elephants. To prevent accidental poisoning, there should be strict regulations on the use, storage and disposal of potentially lethal items in areas where elephants are common,” he added.

The remaining three elephants killed two people in separate incidents in the Umaria area of ​​the reserve on Saturday.

Agriculture experts said Kodo millet poisoning was unlikely because the crop does not require pesticides in India as pests are rare. “Kodo millet does not require any additional costs for pesticides. Only water is needed to grow. Fungi present on Kodo millet cannot kill the largest mammal in the forest. If that was the case, other wild or domestic animals must also have died, but no such report exists,” said Amarnder Reddy of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Echoing similar views, wildlife expert Ajay Dubey said, “Kodo millet is a staple crop in tribal areas, especially in Dindori, Mandla, Shahdol and Katni. In the forest, monkeys consume it in large quantities, but monkeys are absolutely healthy, so it looks like a case of poisoning.”

Another expert emphasized the need for a thorough investigation. “A case of poaching must be registered if there is intentional poisoning as elephants are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It is important to note that Madhya Pradesh has not had any elephants in recent history . The elephants now living in the region have migrated from neighboring states due to habitat loss, meaning local communities may not be accustomed to their presence. To ensure coexistence of humans and elephants, we need to work extensively with local people, sensitize them and provide adequate compensation for any damage to crops or property,” said Debadityo Sinha, Head – Climate & Ecosystems, Vidhi Center for Legal Policy.

Another expert said increasing human invasion of wildlife is taking the conflict to a new level.

“Coming to the eastern part of the country, in the districts of South West Bengal, another hotspot of human-elephant conflict, more and more conflicts are killing elephants every year. Very recently, a pregnant elephant was brutally killed by a burning iron rod thrown by an alleged member of a Hulla team (deployed by the forest department of West Bengal to chase elephants away from human settlements). Responses to address this will not yield fruitful results in the long run. The conflicts need to be addressed by taking a multi-pronged approach: creating long-term food sources for elephants, providing adequate and prompt compensation to affected farmers, ensuring the safety of villagers by erecting fences, etc. .and creating well-trained rapid response teams to resolve issues. with effectively addressing conflict situations including local enforcement authorities,” said Meghna Banerjee of the Human and Environment Alliance League.