Bandhavgarh – The death of 10 wild elephants in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh in the last three days has created a stir in the forest department. For a thorough investigation of the matter, experts have taken samples from several places and they are being sent to ICAR-IVRI in UP and the forensic lab in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh. According to officials, the series of elephant deaths started from Tuesday, when four elephants were found dead in Sankhani and Bakeli areas of Khitoli Range. After this, four elephants died on Wednesday and two on Thursday. These continuous deaths have increased the concern of wildlife experts and forest department officials.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) L Krishnamurthy said that biological samples taken for the dead elephants, including viscera, liver and kidneys, are being sent to IVRI in Izzatnagar in Bareilly district of UP and the forensic lab in Sagar. Earlier, samples of the viscera of the elephants were sent to the School of Wildlife Forensics and Health (SWFH) in Jabalpur to reveal the actual cause of death.
The state government has formed a five-member committee to investigate the matter, with L Krishnamurthy as its chairman. This committee will not only find out the reasons for the death of the elephants but will also consider taking necessary steps to prevent such incidents in future. Bandhavgarh Sanctuary, which is spread across Umaria and Katni districts of Madhya Pradesh, is a major wildlife area, where these mysterious deaths of elephants have become a cause of concern.
