The death of a young elephant calf at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday evening brought the toll of dead pachyderms at the sanctuary to 11 in under a fortnight.

The calf, aged around 3-4 months, had been receiving treatment at the Tala Camp of the reserve since its rescue by forest officials earlier this week.Official sources say the young elephant was separated from its herd after falling ill.

This incident adds to a recent spate of elephant deaths at the park.

Forensic examinations revealed that the deaths, now totalling 11, were caused by grazing on contaminated Kodo millet.

Kodo is locally grown by farmers on the outskirts of the Bandhavgarh forests. Experts say the crop is prone to fungal contamination in damp conditions, which produces a mycotoxin called Cyclopiazonic Acid (CPA).

Forensic analysis of the viscera from the dead elephants confirmed the presence of this toxin.Forest officials and a high-level team appointed by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav have ruled out foul play in the deaths of the wild animals, which arrived in 2018 from neighbouring states due to a reduction in their natural habitats.

The state government and forest officials are exploring ways to improve relations between the pachyderms and local farmers, who have often faced crop losses due to the elephants.

The government has announced the formation of an elephant advisory panel, consisting of wildlife experts and officials. The department is also considering the use of satellite collars to track the movements of the elephants, with trials set to begin shortly.