K’taka blackbuck death toll rises to 29; initial probe points to bacterial infection

Belagavi (Karnataka): The death toll of blackbucks at the Kittur Rani Chennamma Mini Zoo in Belagavi district rose to 29 on Sunday after another endangered animal died. The preliminary post-mortem report indicated an outbreak of a bacterial disease in the zoo, said officials.

Previously, the death of 28 blackbucks in Kittur Rani Chennamma Mini Zoo in a span of three days raised concerns in Karnataka, and the authorities were awaiting the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and post-mortem reports to know the reason.

The mass death of blackbucks — an endangered species protected under the Wildlife Protection Act — has sparked outrage among wildlife conservationists and animal lovers.

Authorities confirmed that the post-mortem has revealed that the blackbucks have died because of Hemorrhagic Septicemia (HS), which is a significant and often fatal bacterial disease. The situation is similar to that of the coronavirus pandemic. This bacterial infection spreads only among animals that are herbivores, the authorities maintained.

The second round of post-mortem of three blackbucks was conducted on Sunday by a team of two doctors, who arrived from Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta National Park. The doctors also took the samples of the food given to blackbucks for a week. They have also conducted a health check-up of nine blackbucks that have survived.

The case of the death of 28 blackbucks at the Kittur Chennamma Mini Zoo has taken a serious turn. Earlier, while forest officials informed the minister that the deaths were caused by a problem with the feed, they told the media that it was due to a bacterial infection. These contradictory statements, made even before the FSL report was released, raised suspicions.

The blackbucks died under suspicious circumstances at the Kittur Chennamma Mini Zoo in Bhutaramanahatti village of Belagavi taluk. The death of 28 blackbucks occurred within a span of three days. On November 13, eight blackbucks in the zoo died. Samples were sent to the laboratory to ascertain the cause of death. Even before those reports arrived, another 20 blackbucks died. On Sunday, another blackbuck died in the premises.

Responding to the death of the blackbucks, veterinarian Dr Chandrashekhar said that samples of the viscera, kidneys, heart, liver and blood of the dead blackbucks have been collected. These will be sent to the laboratory, and the report on the cause of the blackbucks’ deaths is expected by Tuesday (November 18). He added that the report will then be submitted to Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre.

Member-Secretary of Zoo Authority of Karnataka, Sunil Panwar, said that a team of veterinarians conducted post-mortem examinations this morning, and the zoo has also been inspected. No staff negligence has been found in the incident. Precautionary measures had already been taken when the first eight blackbucks died. However, he added that if any lapse by the staff is detected at any stage, action will be taken.

An investigation is underway to determine whether the mysterious deaths were due to negligence by the Forest Department or due to disease. Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has ordered strict precautions and warned of action if the staff’s negligence is found.

Preliminary findings suggested a bacterial infection as the cause of the mass deaths, raising serious concerns over the alleged negligence of the zoo’s veterinary doctors and forest staff.

Experts said the death toll could have been far lower if the infected blackbucks had been detected early and immediately isolated. The lack of regular health monitoring and the delay in responding to the first signs of illness are being seen as serious lapses by the authorities in charge of the animals’ welfare.

The blackbucks were brought from the Gadag zoo about four to five years ago. The animals were between five and six years old. Of the 28 that died, 13 were males and the rest were females, inflicting a major blow to the zoo’s blackbuck population.

IANS