Almost entire herd of elephants killed in India – and nobody knows why

Ten elephants of a herd of 13 died over three days in a tiger reserve in central India, leaving authorities puzzled as to the reason.

The tuskers in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh state began dying on Tuesday.

A park guard spotted several elephants in visible distress about 2km from their regular camp and alerted his superiors, who sent out veterinary teams immediately.

The vets found four elephants had died. They provided medical attention to the rest of the herd, but four more died Wednesday night, and another pair on Thursday.

Authorities said they were awaiting postmortem reports to understand the cause of the mass death.

The three surviving members of the herd were under observation, NDTV reported.

Teams from the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests had landed in Bandhavgarh to conduct an independent inquiry. They were expected to file a preliminary report in the next 10 days.

The investigation would seek to find out if the mass death was accidental or intentional.

“There is an investigation into whether this was a case of poisoning,” an unnamed official told the Indian Express. “There are some signs but we can only say for sure when the postmortem report comes in.”

PK Verma, deputy director of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, pointed at a local crop, a grain called Kodo, which might pose a risk to elephants under certain conditions.

“While we are examining various leads, there’s a possibility that Kodo, which can be toxic to elephants, may have contributed,” he explained.

In the wake of the deaths, park authorities destroyed Kodo crops in the area as a precaution, ploughing and burning the standing grain.

A team of veterinarians was conducting a separate investigation.

“There is now a large team of doctors who are looking into the case. We are mainly treating them for toxic infection. The medicines are registered intravenously. Several villagers have been questioned on the use of pesticides in the kodo millet plants. The villagers have claimed that the act was not intentional. The investigation is underway,” a wildlife official was quoted as saying by the Express.

“The experts have informed us that there have been past instances of elephants dying due to ingesting kodo millets and there have also been cases of successful treatment.”

The investigating teams, involving over 100 forest officials accompanied by a dog squad, were conducting checks of nearby water sources, examining the herd’s movement patterns, and assessing crops within a 5km radius of where the tuskers were found. They were collecting soil samples and plant exhibits from the vicinity as well.

The investigation though was getting hampered by the presence of a larger and more aggressive herd of elephants as well as three tigers in the area.

Bandhavgarh’s elephant population flourished in recent years, even attracting migrating tuskers from neighbouring Chhattisgarh state. Known for its ideal habitat, the reserve’s reputation as a sanctuary for elephants now stands overshadowed by the tragedy, raising concerns about wildlife management and protection protocols in the area.