Bandhavgarh Elephant Deaths: Forest Department Awaits Reports To Reach Conclusion In Elephant Deaths Case

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The deaths of ten elephants still remain a mystery as forest department is yet to reach any conclusion as reports of elephant samples sent to Hyderabad and some other labs are yet to come out. It is being believed that these labs will send their reports to the forest department on Monday.

After this, forest officials will match all the reports to reach any conclusion to know how the elephants have died. So far, the forest department based on Indian Veterinary Research Institute’s (Bareilly, UP), test report had surmised that elephants died due to consumption of fungus-infected Kodo which they have eaten in large quantity.

L Krishnamurthy, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife said that the test report from Hyderabad and some more labs are awaited. They are likely to be submitted by Monday. On getting the report, reasons of elephant deaths will be evaluated and conclusion will be drawn.

Meanwhile, the elephant calf, aged between 2 to 3 months found abandoned in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve’s buffer range is being treated and is responding to treatment. Veterinary doctors are keeping a close watch on its activities. It is unclear which elephant herd the calf belonged to and why it had been abandoned.