The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has shared reports of its investigations into the death of 10 wild elephants at the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR). The reports confirmed that the pachyderms had indeed perished due to the consumption of contaminated Kodo millets.
In the report, the NGT referenced the 1933 elephant death incident in Tamil Nadu, where 14 elephants had died after consuming millets.
In October-November 2024, ten elephants died after consuming large amounts of millet, which is widely grown by farmers on the fringes of the reserve.
Following the deaths, several wildlife experts researched the effects of Kodo millet on animal health and submitted their findings to the government and the NGT.
Sources say that the NGT has issued a raft of directives to the BTR management to ensure the safe harvesting of millet around the tiger reserve. Research suggests that Kodo crops harvested in damp conditions can be detrimental to human and animal health, as an infestation of fungus gives birth to the killer Cyclopiazonic Acid (CPA), which can cause severe damage to the liver.