- Eleven elephants recently died in quick succession in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh area.
- Initial investigations into the elephant deaths revealed traces of a type of poison in their stomachs.
- Laboratory reports now indicate that this poison originated from a fungus growing on the kodo crop grown in the region, which the elephants had consumed.
On October 29, a shocking incident unfolded in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, located in Umaria district. An unusual behaviour was reported from some elephants in the Khitauli and Pataur ranges in the west and the north of the reserve, respectively. Thirteen elephants from a herd were found unconscious at different locations. Officials from the forest department rushed to the spot and initiated treatment, but 10 elephants from the herd died within a few hours.
Adding to the tragedy, a week later, on November 8, a calf separated from its herd was found unconscious in the Kharibadi Tola beat of the Panpatha buffer zone in the north. The calf, too, succumbed during treatment on November 10.
Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, known primarily for its tiger population, has also become home to wild elephants in the recent years after elephants migrated from the forests of neighbouring Chhattisgarh and have since stayed in the region. The incident has raised concerns about elephant safety and habitat management in the reserve.
Krishnamurthy L, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) Wildlife, stated that reports from three laboratories — two state government labs and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) under the central government — have conclusively linked the elephant deaths to fungal contamination.
The IVRI report, dated November 5, revealed the presence of cyclopiazonic acid in the viscera samples of the deceased elephants. This toxin indicates that the elephants had consumed large quantities of kodo, a variety of millet, crop infected with the fungus, leading to their death. The findings have heightened concerns about food sources and the safety of elephants in the region.
Keeping elephants away from kodo
The IVRI report has ruled out the presence of chemical poisoning in the elephants. Tests for nitrate-nitrite, heavy metals, organophosphates, organochlorines, pyrethroids, and carbamate pesticides turned out to be negative, confirming the absence of any chemical toxins. This eliminates the possibility of the elephants being poisoned or them consuming pesticide-laden crops.
The report identifies a fungus on the kodo crop as the cause of death. APCCF Krishnamurthy stated that IVRI has issued an advisory emphasising awareness among village residents around the reserve, urging them not to graze cattle in the fields with infected crops. These recommendations are being implemented by the reserve’s management.
Speaking to Mongabay India, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve’s Deputy Director P.K. Varma explained the ongoing efforts to protect the elephants. “Our immediate focus was on mapping and harvesting the kodo crop in the area. This crop was planted across approximately 3,500 acres, and 99% of it has now been harvested with the cooperation of local farmers,” he said.
Varma added that measures are being taken to monitor the elephants and keep them away from any remaining kodo crop that is yet to be harvested. These efforts aim to prevent further incidents and ensure the safety of the elephant population in the reserve.
How the nutritious kodo turned toxic
Kodo, a significant kharif crop in Madhya Pradesh’s tribal-dominated regions, holds an important place among millets such as jowar, bajra, kutki, and sama. Rich in protein, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, and folate, kodo is a staple in the region.
Under the state’s Millet Mission, the cultivation of coarse grains is being actively promoted, leading to a rapid increase in their cultivation area. According to the State Agriculture Department, the area under kodo cultivation expanded from 67,000 hectares in 2020-21 to 1.35 lakh hectares in 2023-24. Millet crops, including kodo-kutki, jowar-bajra, and ragi, are widely grown, especially in tribal districts like Mandla, Dindori, Shahdol, Anuppur, Umaria and Chhindwara.
Forest department officials suggest that the recent elephant deaths in Bandhavgarh may be linked to the increased availability of fungus-infected kodo. “Kodo is always grown in this area, but its quantity was less in the previous years. This time, elephants consumed kodo from fields spread over 12 acres cultivated collectively by four or five farmers. The large quantity of fungus-contaminated kodo proved fatal for the elephants,” explained Verma.
The incident highlights the need for close monitoring of crop health and better management practices to prevent such tragedies in future.
No poison in kodo
After the death of elephants in Bandhavgarh, the kodo crop has come under suspicion. However, experts believe that the crop is not toxic unless it is contaminated. They suggest that the cause of the elephants’ deaths could be a fungus growing on the kodo crop rather than the crop itself.
Scientific research on the toxicity of kodo is limited. Hariprasanna K., Principal Scientist at the Indian Institute of Millet Research under the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, told Mongabay India in an email interview that kodo millet as such doesn’t produce any toxin. “But the fungal infection of grains takes place if not harvested at the right time or there is more moisture in the grains at the time of harvest, and it is not dried immediately. The fungal infection produces mycotoxin. Hence, if the crop is harvested at the right maturity and properly dried immediately and stored properly, there is no development of mycotoxin,” he said.
Mycotoxin can cause adverse impacts on humans and animals through ingestion. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology, “Limited research on this aspect has concluded that the toxicity is linked to the formation of mycotoxins caused by fungal contamination. No study, to date, has indicated that kodo millet contains any inherent toxicity.”
The need for a long-term solution
As an immediate solution, the forest department is advising kodo farmers to harvest their crops on time. “Some farmers were unable to harvest their crops on time, so we assisted them and ensured the crops were harvested. For those who couldn’t remove the crops from their fields, we provided tractors,” said Verma.
However, Verma believes that a long-term solution requires a policy decision. He adds that the state and central governments are aware of the issue and are deliberating on plans for managing the kodo crop in the coming year.
Anish Andheria, president of the Wildlife Conservation Trust, shared his thoughts on potential solutions to the issue in an email interview with Mongabay India. He said that, in the short term, farmers growing kodo should be compensated with cash based on the market rate, after calculating the prospective yields using last year’s produce. “This should be followed by an awareness campaign in areas within the probable range of elephants in and around Bandhavgarh,” he added.
As a long-term solution, he suggested, “Sustainable solutions can only be achieved if the interests of both local communities and wildlife are given the attention they deserve.” He further added, “I am not advocating for electric fencing around kodo fields as a permanent solution. Elephants are intelligent enough to breach such fences, and village residents often lack the capacity to maintain them.”
Meanwhile, Hariprasanna shares that the proper management of kodo grains after harvest can prevent the development of mycotoxins. “If the crop is harvested at the right maturity and dried immediately and stored properly there is no development of mycotoxin. In terms of human consumption, to my knowledge, there have been no reports of lethality. However, mild symptoms of kodo poisoning have been reported in the past,” he said.
Elephant-human conflict increases in MP
Madhya Pradesh, which is the leading state in the country in terms of tiger population, has very few elephants. According to government data released in 2019, there were only seven elephants in the state. Elephants typically move from the forests of Chhattisgarh to Madhya Pradesh in search of food and then return. However, in recent years, elephants from Chhattisgarh have started staying in Madhya Pradesh, and the current estimated population of elephants in the state is around 100.
Madhya Pradesh has limited experience in managing elephants. The first recorded human-elephant conflict fatalities occurred in 2018, when two people lost their lives. In 2020, the number of fatalities increased to four, and in 2021, six people were killed in such conflicts, according to forest department data.
Experts emphasise the importance of monitoring elephants for their effective management. “The group of elephants is growing, and they are now spreading across different areas. Elephants often come into villages to forage, which leads to conflicts. Therefore, their monitoring is crucial,” said Pushpendra Dwivedi, a local wildlife expert from Umaria. He has been working with the local communities in the Bandhavgarh area for several years.
“Village residents will need to be trained to provide information on specific parameters, such as the elephants’ routes, their food sources, and the size of the herd,” Dwivedi explained. “This will help track the elephants’ movements and prevent conflicts.”
Andheria also emphasises the importance of surveillance. He said, “In the medium- and long-term, the state will need to: a) build capacity among frontline forest staff to monitor the ecology and movement of elephant herds, while proactively addressing negative interactions between people and elephants; b) set up Primary Response Teams (PRTs) with the help of both women and men living in villages along elephant-bearing reserves and corridors, and train them to prevent people from gathering around wild elephants and to promptly inform the forest department about elephant movements in and around their villages.”
He further added, “The state must also collaborate with the neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh to address elephant-related issues in a coordinated manner, as wild elephants have migrated into Madhya Pradesh from there.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced that the state will adopt best practices from Karnataka, Kerala, and Assam for elephant conservation. Officials from Madhya Pradesh will be sent to these states to conduct a study on co-existence with elephants, ensuring that the livelihoods of people in the buffer and core areas are not adversely affected.
Yadav also mentioned that radio tracking will be implemented for elephants that roam alone in the forest and become separated from their herds. He also noted that the compensation for loss of life due to wild animal attacks has been increased from Rs. 8 lakhs to Rs. 25 lakhs. Discussions have been held with the Chhattisgarh government to exchange information regarding the movement of elephant herds, ensure necessary vigilance, and manage their presence, he said.
More than 100 elephants have permanently settled in the forests of Umaria and Bandhavgarh. To manage them, the state plans to form volunteer groups called Hathi Mitras, in which the residents of the villages track and update elephant movements to create awareness.
Read more: Deforestation pushes elephants from Chhattisgarh to Madhya Pradesh, increasing conflict
Banner image: A herd of wild elephants grazing in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. Image by P. K. Verma.
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