The death of yet another wild elephant at the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve takes the toll of dead pachyderms to 10 since the discovery of four corpses at Salakhaniya on Tuesday, confirmed forest officials. Officials said that post-mortem examinations have been completed on nine of the 10 dead mammals, who are believed to have been killed by mycotoxins present in Kodo - a locally grown millet. Samples have been dispatched to the School of Wildlife Forensics and Health in Jabalpur for further analysis.

Wildlife veterinarians are in constant touch with experts at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) Bareilly, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Dehradun, State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSCL) Sagar, and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) Hyderabad to get in-depth details about the said mycotoxins.

The remaining three elephants from the herd - originally comprising 13 large mammals - are said to be in good health and are being constantly monitored in the forests where they are roaming. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden were also camping at the Bandhavgarh sanctuary to supervise the medical and geographical investigations into the horrific incident, being conducted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the state government and experts from the State Tiger Strike Force (STSF).

Initial post-mortem reports say the elephants died due to multi-organ failure, and large amounts of Kodo millet were found in their bellies. Kodo, also known as cow grass or ditch grass, is a millet grown in indigenous rainfed farming systems of Madhya Pradesh. Earlier this year, the state government announced a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for its production.

A staple in multigrain atta, the millet is prone to mycotoxins that may cause health risks in both humans and animals, with symptoms ranging from intoxication to poisoning, says a report published by the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in August 2003. The study states that the mycotoxins are carried in Kita, a contaminant known for high levels of Cyclopiazonic Acid or CPA.

“Mycotoxins are poisonous substances produced by fungi or mold. A small amount can be damaging to human or animal health and even cause death. Poisoning by mycotoxins is called mycotoxicosis,” says research reviewed by doctors on WebMD. The top industry resource states that ‘poor harvesting of crops’ can lead to the spread of these deadly mycotoxins, which are said to be increasing each year due to global warming. Indigenous farmers around the sanctuary grow Kodo. Sowing takes place in the Kharif season, and the millet is harvested in September-October.

In a media brief, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), L Krishnamoorthy, insinuates that this killer crop may have been responsible for wiping out ten of the thirteen-member herd of elephants. The official statement, issued by the head of the SIT, leaves several questions lingering over how such a deadly crop was allowed to be cultivated on the margins of the sanctuary and, more importantly, if the cultivation of the millet will now be banned in the area.