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Karnataka: Four more deer die at Bannerghatta park, toll increases to 23
Four deer have died in last four days at Bannerghatta National Park after being brought to the park in mid-August
Four deer have died at Bannerghatta National Park in Bengaluru in the last four days, taking the death toll of deer to 23 after being brought to the park, officials said on Tuesday.
On August 17, forest department officials had shifted 37 deer to the National Park from St John’s College premises in Bengaluru due to lack of protection, officials familiar with the matter said.
According to the officials, the deer were shifted to the national park after being quarantined for 10 days and medical check-up.
At least 13 deer had died from August 22 to September 19. The number increased to 19 by September 21. With the death of four more deer, the death toll has increased to 23, officials said.
“A team of skilled veterinarians is providing necessary medical treatment to the remaining deer. The remaining deer are responding to the medication and recovering,” said Surya Sen, executive director of Bannerghatta Biological Park.
Sen had earlier said that the deer were suspected to have died due to worms in the stomach, some because of heart attack and some due to fights among themselves.
Joseph Hoover, a conservationist, said the deer might have died due to ‘capture myopathy’. It is an often fatal exertion or stress-induced muscle degenerative condition affecting captured wild animals.
“They have had some kind of a heart attack. Deer are very sensitive animals, and when handled by humans, they are even more sensitive. We call it ‘capture myopathy’. But the capture had happened a few days prior to that (the deaths). Maybe, they haven’t been looked after properly. First of all, they should not have moved the deer to Bannerghatta. They should have taken them somewhere else,” Hoover said.
This comes close on the heels of the death of seven leopard cubs at the national park between August 22 and September 5, owing to the outbreak of Feline panleukopenia, a highly contagious viral disease.
Following the deaths, the national park administration has established strict protocols to prevent its spread, including sanitation and sterilisation.
State forest and environment minister Eshwar Khandre who visited the park after the deaths instructed officials to take necessary precautionary measures to prevent infection of wild animals.
However, he said that investigation is on to ascertain the exact cause of death of leopard cubs and deer, adding that it will be confirmed only after getting the report.
