Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Even as test results from forensic labs are yet to come, the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve officials surmised that ten elephants, including two pregnant elephants, died after consumption of Kudo containing fungus. They also got Kudo crop destroyed in the surrounding areas as precaution.
Deputy director of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Prakash Kumar Verma said that on the basis of the autopsy of elephants done by the fourteen member team, the primary possible reason behind the death of elephants is mycotoxin (fungus) associated with the Kudo millet. There is literature to suggest that earlier also elephants have died after feeding on Kudo crop containing the fungus.
When the villagers were interrogated, they said that their cattle have also perished after eating Kudo containing the fungus.
Another senior officer told that lot of Kudo was found inside the stomach of dead elephants. When elephants feed on Kudo containing fungus, it becomes lethal to them. After lab reports come out, things would become clear. The samples of water bodies falling in path of the elephants was also collected and sent for further tests.
In the meantime, teams from Delhi, STF and State Committee etc are probing the elephant deaths.
PCCF Wildlife VN Ambade, who is in Bandhavgarh for the past three days, told Free Press that in the wake of the elephant deaths, the Kudo farmers were asked to harvest their crops so that no other elephant falls victim. If needed then compensation could be provided to the farmers.
Forest minister failed to protect elephants: LoP
Politics is also brewing over the deaths of ten elephants in Bandhavgarh. Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar said that forest Minister Ramniwas Rawat had failed to protect elephants and he is shying away from speaking to tribals.
Singhar said there was need to give adequate rights to forest committees and to strike a balance with tribals residing the tiger reserve areas.
