The suspected outbreak of a fatal bacterial disease has claimed four elephants in the past 10 days in Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary in Kalahandi district. The death of four female elephants in the sanctuary might have been due to ‘haemorrhagic Septicaemia’, a fatal bacterial disease that afflicts both the domestic and wild animals, senior forest department officials said on Friday.

“Carcasses of four elephants have been spotted dead along the Gusrigudi nullah of the sanctuary. From preliminary analysis and testing, the veterinarians suspect that fatality occurred due to bacterial ‘haemorrhage septicaemia’ infections”, said the Acting Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), Wildlife, Sashi Paul.

The samples of the carcasses were sent to the laboratory in Centre for Wildlife Health, Orissa University of Agriculture Technology, Bhubaneswar for further pathological study.

As it is a highly contagious animal disease, the wildlife personnel are keeping constant watch to separate herds of elephants in the sanctuary forest. The entire cattle population in the forest-side villages of Karlapat, Badtikraguda, Tentulipadar, Lilingpadar and Jakam villages is being immunized to contain the spread of the disease.

The stagnant water-bodies in the forest areas are being disinfected to avoid the spread of the disease, he added. On 1 February the carcass of a female elephant was found near Tentulipada village inside the sanctuary. From the post mortem conducted it was revealed that the dead elephant was pregnant and the death is due to septicemia.

This was followed by casualties on 9, 10 and 11 February near the Ghusurigudi area by the side of a water body, informed DFO Kalahandi South Division ,Ashok Kumar.

He informed that there are 17 elephants in the sanctuary as per the 2018 census. Villagers have been requested not to send their cattle to forest in view of the situation. Stagnant water is being disinfected .

It is not yet known whether any other species of wild animals are affected, said the DFO. An expert team from OUAT, Bhubaneswar is on way to Kalahandi, he added.