Ten wild elephants die in three days at Indian Tiger Reserve, fungus-infected millet suspected

Ten wild elephants from a herd of thirteen have died over the last three days in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India.

On October 29, the patrolling team of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in India discovered the deaths of four elephants. Subsequently, six more elephants were found sick or unconscious in nearby areas, bringing the total number of deaths to ten. The deaths occurred over three days, with four elephants dying on October 29, four on October 30, and two on October 31.

The lone surviving male elephant from the herd of thirteen is reported to be displaying distress. At the funeral for the deceased elephants, the powerful trumpet of the lone elephant interrupted the proceedings. It flapped its ears, stomped its feet, and charged at wildlife officials who were burying its family. A veterinarian, exhausted from conducting autopsies of the dead elephants for the past two days, choked with emotion and said: "Everyone is heartbroken. We could not conduct the post-mortems properly as the elephant would charge at us, thinking it can still save its family. We had to chase it away with JCB machines."

Officials suspect toxicity from kodo millet as the primary cause of death. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Vijay N Ambade stated that the elephant deaths could have been caused by "mycotoxins associated with kodo millet," with preliminary reports suggesting toxicity from kodo millet as a possible factor. Veterinarians have indicated that the cause of death is related to mycotoxins associated with kodo millet, which generate cyclopiazonic acid that causes poisoning.

Post-mortem examinations and various tests on all ten elephants have been conducted. 

Wildlife officials believe that the herd of thirteen elephants consumed toxic kodo millets, which is being attributed as the cause of death. According to preliminary conclusions drawn by the Forest Department, the crop of kodo millet was infected with fungus, leading to the production of poison, which the elephants consumed, resulting in their deaths. The post-mortem conducted by the veterinary team revealed that a large quantity of infected kodo millet was found inside the elephants' stomachs, confirming the presence of toxicity.

As a precautionary measure, authorities have destroyed nearby kodo millet crops by ploughing and burning the standing grain, blaming it for the deaths. This was done to prevent other wildlife or animals from dying after eating the contaminated crop. A ground duty officer said the forest department has identified six farmers from whose field the elephants ate kodo millets.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has raised suspicion about the official claims regarding the cause of death. He stated, "There is no scientific study available to justify their claim that the elephants died after eating kodo millet." He criticized the Chief Minister's delayed response, saying, "After returning from his Diwali holidays, the CM is showing concern after 100 hours of the first deaths." Ajay Dubey has demanded that a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) be launched into the matter.

Researchers describe kodo millet as one of the "hardiest crops, drought-tolerant with high yield potential and excellent storage properties." Kodo millet is a staple food for many tribal and economically weaker sections in India. However, kodo millet can become toxic if infected with certain fungi that produce mycotoxins, particularly cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), which can cause poisoning.

According to a 2021 research paper titled "Kodo poisoning: cause, science and management," in 1985, researchers established "the association of the mycotoxin, cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), with kodo millet seeds causing 'kodua poisoning.'" Kodo poisoning occurs mainly due to the consumption of kodo grains when "maturing and harvesting if the grains had encountered with rainfall, resulting in a fungal infection leading to 'poisoned kodo' which is locally known as 'Matawna Kodoo' or 'Matona Kodo' in northern India."

Veterinarians have indicated that the cause of death is related to mycotoxins associated with kodo millet. The chief symptoms of kodo poisoning include "vomiting, giddiness, and unconsciousness, small and rapid pulse, cold extremities, shaking of limbs and tremors." Studies have shown that CPA can cause "gastrointestinal disorders in animals and can elevate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the intestine, which can lead to inflammation and damage to the gastrointestinal tract."

The actual cause of death will be confirmed after thorough investigation and detailed post-mortem reports, including results from histopathological analyses. The forest department's wildlife veterinarians are in regular contact with experts from various institutions to get in-depth details about the said mycotoxins.

While gathering information about the elephant deaths, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered a team of senior officials to be sent to Umaria, and a team from the School of Wildlife Forensic and Health has also arrived and is engaged in the investigation. The Krishnamoorthy-led probe panel has been directed to submit its report within ten days.

Wildlife officials are closely monitoring the remaining elephants in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, with only four healthy elephants remaining, and the three surviving members of the herd are under observation. Wildlife health officers from Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves are treating the surviving elephants. 

The deaths of the ten elephants have sparked concern about wildlife management and protection protocols in the area. Different speculations regarding the cause of the elephants' deaths have emerged, with local people providing various reasons. Elderly farmer Manohar Singh from village Bhanpura said that if a pair of snakes is in the crop, the kodo millet becomes intoxicating. He said, "Then that crop cannot be used; eating it causes intoxication, and then they throw it away; there is death in it."

Sources: Navbharat Times, One India, The Indian Express, ETV Bharat News, Hindi News, Dainik Jagran, The Hindu.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq