Tragedy in India's National Park: Nearly the Entire Elephant Herd Died in Three Days.

Dead elephants in an Indian national park
Dead elephants in an Indian national park

In a national park in India, 10 elephants died over three days, puzzling ecologists. This was reported by BBC News.

In total, 10 out of 13 elephants of the herd died from October 29 to 31 in Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh state.

According to a preliminary toxicology report, the cause of death could be millet contaminated with fungus, which the animals had eaten.

The toxicology report shows that the elephants consumed a significant amount of rotten kodo plants (millet) and grain. - stated L. Krishna Murti, a senior forestry official investigating the causes of the deaths.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that farmers may have poisoned the elephants to prevent them from damaging their crops. However, officials claim there are no signs of intentional poisoning.

The toxicology report mentioned that samples taken from the dead elephants revealed cyclopiazonic acid, a neurotoxin of fungal origin.

It is presumed that the elephants consumed a large quantity of kodo millet, which is often grown in arid regions of countries such as India, Pakistan, the Philippines, and West Africa. Approximately 35% of kodo millet produced in India is grown in Madhya Pradesh.

It seems that millet grows quickly, is drought-tolerant, and stores well. It is also easily digestible and healthy. However, some studies have shown that consuming millet can lead to poisoning and intoxication due to the presence of fungi that release cyclopiazonic acid.

Recall that in northern Thailand, about 100 elephants from the large Elephant Nature Park reserve were evacuated due to a severe flood. This was reported by CNN.

This is the largest evacuation ever conducted to save elephant lives. The water was rising quickly. - said Sangduan Lek Chailert, founder of Elephant Nature Park.

Additionally, in South Africa, an elephant flipped a crossover onto its roof. This event was captured on video.


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