Bhopal: A week after the death of 10 elephants in Bandhavgarh, the toxicity report from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) has pointed to the presence of cyclopiazonic acid and ruled out the presence of heavy metals found in pesticides and insecticides.
The samples from liver, kidney, spleen, heart, lungs, stomach and intestine of all the 10 elephants were sent to IVRI in Bareilly, MP Forensic Laboratory in Sagar and to School of Wildlife Forensics and Health, Jabalpur.
The first set of reports from IVRI have mentioned solidified fungus infected kodo crops as the cause of toxicity in elephants.
“Cyclopiazonic acid is a toxic fungal neurotoxin that causes a variety of adverse impacts on both humans and animals. It is produced by certain fungi infested crops. It is typically associated with fungi such as aspergillus and penicillium,” a senior forest official told ThePrint, explaining the findings of the report.
The report also advised survey and destruction of the fungal-infected koda crop residue as well as preventing the entry of domestic and wild animals into such fields.
Meanwhile, the extent of cyclopiazonic acid’s toxicity will be revealed after further investigations along with ascertaining what kind of fungi found in kodo led to the production of mycotoxins that turned fatal.
The report further negated the presence of nitrate-nitrite, organophosphate, organochlorine, pyrethroid and carbamate groups of pesticides.
“Clarity on all the causes of death can be told only after receiving reports from other institutions,” Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) L. Krishnamoorthy said in a press note issued Tuesday evening.
On 29 October, patrolling officers of Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve found the carcasses of four elephants in the Salkhania beat of Pataur. As they combed adjoining areas, six more elephants were found sick and unconscious. Four of them died on 30 October during treatment while the remaining two died the next day. All these elephants were part of a 13-member herd.
In the meantime, a team of forest officers have been trying to track an elephant calf that has travelled about 8 km from Salkaniya and reached the Katni border. The calf is believed to have got separated from its herd and went outside the forest area near village settlement where it was shooed away by villagers.
Despite the best efforts of the team, the officers failed to catch the elephant calf and take it back into the jungles before the night fell. According to the forest officer, a team has been deployed to continuously monitor the elephant calf to ensure its safety.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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