A chilling mystery has unfolded in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, where seven elephants have been found dead under unexplained circumstances, leaving wildlife officials baffled, NDTV reported. Two more elephants from the same herd were found unconscious, their condition critical, while four others are recovering from an unknown ailment.
The incident, first reported on Tuesday, began with the discovery of two dead elephants in Reserve Forest 384 and Protected Forest 183 “A.” This was followed by the discovery of another four dead elephants, raising alarm bells among wildlife officials.
As the investigation unfolded, teams combed the area on Tuesday and found five more elephants lying unconscious. The herd, comprised of thirteen members, has now lost 7 elephants. Veterinary teams, including specialists from Sanjay Tiger Reserve and the School of Wildlife Forensic and Health in Jabalpur, are working tirelessly to treat the remaining sick elephants.
The cause of death remains a mystery, with post-mortems being conducted at the School of Wildlife Forensics and Health in Jabalpur. Veterinarians from Pench and Kanha forests are assisting in the investigation.
The incident, unprecedented in the state’s history, has triggered a wave of concern among wildlife experts and officials. Tiger Strike Force teams from Jabalpur and Bhopal have been deployed to the reserve, joining the efforts to determine the cause of these deaths.
