Jumbo deaths: Bacterial disease spread from cattle, suspects Central team visiting Karlapat wildlife sanctuary

BHUBANESWAR:  The three-member Central team that visited Karlapat wildlife sanctuary in Kalahandi to probe death of six elephants due to hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) has expressed its satisfaction over the immediate measures put in place by the State forest officials to contain spread of the bacterial disease in the wild. 

They are assuming that the infection might have spread from bovine to elephants after they came to know about the death of cattle due to HS. The team after wrapping up its field visit met PCCF (Wildlife) in-charge Shashi Paul here. 

Sources said the officials have also confirmed the deaths of elephants in the sanctuary due to HS as has been proved by tests conducted by Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT). The PCCF (Wildlife) in-charge said that the team expressed its satisfaction over the measures including disinfection of water bodies and cattle immunisation drive in the nearby villages by the forest and veterinary officials to check spread of the disease caused by Pasteurella multocida bacteria. 

Meanwhile, the Central team has sent the sample of the carcass of another jumbo calf found in the sanctuary to Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly. The calf is suspected to be either still born or have died due to HS as its carcass was also found close to the water body where the carcass of its mother had been found.