Post Bandhavgarh Tusker Deaths, MP to Use Satellite Collars to Track Elephants

Bhopal: In light of the recent deaths of 10 elephants in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR), the Madhya Pradesh forest department plans to use satellite collars to track the movements of tuskers, an official said on Friday.

The state government has been announcing a slew of measures following the deaths of pachyderms last month. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav earlier announced that forest officials from Madhya Pradesh would be sent for training in other states with a high population of elephants.

On October 29, four wild elephants were found dead in Sankhani and Bakeli under the Khalil range of the BTR in Umaria district, while four died on October 30 and two on October 31.

Talking to PTI, MP additional principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) L Krishnamoorthy said, "We have asked Tamil Nadu for two satellite collars, which are expected to reach MP this week. We will start by putting them on two jumbos in BTR." He said the department plans to use satellite collars on all 150 wild elephants in the state.

Krishnamoorthy is the head of a nine-member elephant advisory committee formed two days ago to manage tuskers in the state, mainly during their rescue and rehabilitation.

The probe into the deaths of the ten elephants had concluded that there was neurotoxin cyclopiazonic acid in their visceras, but it was not a case of 'poisoning’.

Viscera reports suggested toxicity was due to the consumption of large quantities of Kodo millet plants, the senior official had said earlier.

Based on the probe team's report, the chief minister suspended two senior reserve officials for alleged lapses.