Centre constitutes team to investigate elephant deaths in MP's Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

Ten elephants were killed in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh earlier this week, with poisoning suspected as a possible cause.

"The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has constituted a team to inquire into the death of ten elephants in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve of Madhya Pradesh. The team is conducting an independent inquiry in the matter," the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said in a statement.

The ministry further informed that the State Government of Madhya Pradesh has also constituted a five-member State level committee, to inquire into the matter and submit a report to the government.

"The five-member committee is headed by APCCF (Wildlife). The committee has members from civil society, scientists, and veterinarians. The matter is also being enquired 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 enquiry about the incident," the ministry said.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Chief Wildlife Warden, Madhya Pradesh is camping in Bandhavgarh and supervising the inquiry and actions being taken in the matter.

Additional Director General of Forests (Project Tiger & Elephant) & Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority, along with AIG NTCA, Nagpur, have also visited the sites and held discussions with the State officials on the various related issues and probable cause of the deaths of elephants.

The incident came to the fore after patrolling staff of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve detected the death of four elephants in the Salkhania beats of Pataur and Khiatuli range of Bandhavgarh Tiger 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 sick elephants undergoing treatment lost their lives over the next two days.

Out of those 10 dead 10 elephants, one was male and nine were female. Further, amongst the ten dead elephants, 6 were juveniles/subadults and 4 were adults. The information revealed that the herd of 13 elephants had raided the Kodo millet crop in the vicinity of the forest.

According to the preliminary information shared by the concerned officers from the State of Madhya Pradesh, the death of the elephants may be because of poisoning, the ministry informed.

"The final cause of death shall only be ascertained after through enquiry, detailed Postmortem reports, results of histopathological and toxicological reports and other corroborative evidences. Further, preventive measures are being taken to avoid possibilities of such incidents by the State officials and monitoring of other elephant herds in and around Bandhavgarh reserve has been enhanced as informed by the officials," the statement further mentioned.

According to the ministry, the patrolling staff of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve detected the death of 4 elephants in the Salkhania beats of Pataur and Khiatuli range of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh on October 29.

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).

Nonetheless, 4 sick elephants succumbed to death on October 30. Further, even after continuous medication and treatment, the remaining two sick and unconscious elephants lost their lives on October 31.

Out of those dead ten elephants, one was male and nine were female. Further, amongst the ten dead elephants, six were juvenile/subadults and four were adults. The information revealed that the herd of thirteen elephants had raided the Kodo millet crop in the vicinity of the forest.

India lost 528 elephants in the last five years due to unnatural causes, including poaching, poisoning, electrocution, and train accidents, the government informed Parliament in July. (ANI)