Forensic lab reports of the samples of ten elephants who died in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh will be available soon and shed more light on the causes of death, a forest official said on Wednesday.
The samples were sent to the State Forensic Sciences Laboratory at Sagar and also to the laboratories in Jabalpur and Nagpur, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) L Krishnamoorthy told PTI.
"We have already received the report of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly. The reports from FSL Sagar, Jabalpur and Nagpur will also come soon and provide more information on the causes of death," he said.
Krishnamoorthy heads a panel set up by the state government to probe the elephant deaths.
On October 29, four elephants were found dead in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Umaria district. Later, the death toll increased to ten.
As per the IVRI report, neurotoxin cyclopiazonic acid was found in the viscera, but there was no insecticide or pesticide. It clearly suggested there was no poisoning but the toxicity came from the consumption of large quantities of spoiled Kodo millet plants.
Asked about the remaining three elephants in the reserve, Krishnamoorthy said forest department teams were monitoring their movements. A baby elephant had moved towards Katni and was under watch.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
