A TRAGEDY OF JUMBO PROPORTIONS

October 29 happened to be Dhanteras, an auspicious occasion two days before Diwali.

- Rahul Noronha

Almost everyone-rangers, drivers, forest guards, tour operators, indeed all associated with the economy and management of the Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh-was in a festive mood. Cheer, however, soon turned into gloom. That afternoon, the wireless at the park HQ Tala crackled and came to life, informing park authorities about four dead elephants in the core area near Salkhania, a village located in the buffer zone.

More elephants were said to be unwell, prompting the park authorities to rush veterinary aid from the Kanha and Pench national parks and the School of Wildlife Forensics and Health in Jabalpur to the spot.

When the teams reached, the scene left them shaken. Separated by a few metres, four elephants lay dead, while another six, out of a herd of 13, were on the ground, writhing in pain. The remaining three healthy elephants, driven by a protective spirit, wouldn't let the vets-almost a dozen of them-approach. Crackers were burst to drive the three away and IV fluids administered, standard treatment in cases of poisoning. As it turned dark, the operation continued in the headlights of vehicles. At the end of the long night, 10 elephants, or nearly 25 per cent of the estimated 40 pachyderms that have made the park their home in the past six years, were dead. "The elephants were trying to raise their heads in a sign of seeking help but would collapse almost immediately," says Dr Nitin Gupta, the vet at Bandhavgarh and a first responder.

"We administered fluids to the unwell ones and were in touch with vets from other colleges to get leads on treatment options. One ranger also suffered a fracture while helping out in treatment." Some of the jumbos who died, he adds, were sub-adults.