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Officials disinfect premises, warn locals to check on cattle
31 blackbucks died at Belagavi's Rani Chennamma Zoo, prompting disinfection and a warning to nearby villages. Cause of death is under investigation.
Authorities at Belagavi district’s Rani Chennamma Zoo have disinfected the entirety of the premises and issued an advisory warning to nearby villages to check on cattle after a spate of yet- unexplained deaths of 31 blackbucks at the zoo over a period of four days from November 13, with the final casualty recorded on Monday.
According to officials, the deaths were attributed to an infection, the nature of which is yet to be clear. District minister-in-charge Satish Jarkiholi on Tuesday said, “A specialised team of veterinarians from Bannerghatta, Bengaluru, arrived today to support the investigation. Once the veterinary team submits its findings, the district administration will take all necessary measures.”
The deaths, all within one enclosure at the zoo in Bhutaramanahatti village, have left only seven of the zoo’s 38 blackbucks alive. Those survivors are under treatment and showing early improvement, officials said Tuesday.
Forest department teams, acting on instructions from the animal husbandry department, have sprayed antiviral disinfectants across the zoo and its surrounding areas, said officials. Rapid-response veterinary units were stationed in adjoining rural settlements, they added.
“On the directions of the Animal Husbandry Department, we have alerted neighbouring habitations to remain cautious and closely observe the behaviour of their livestock. Any abnormal signs must be reported immediately,” said Nagaraj Balhasuri, assistant conservator of forests for Belagavi.
Jarkiholi told reporters that the illness “could be similar to a coronavirus-type infection,” but stressed that only laboratory tests can confirm the cause
Jarkiholi sought to calm public anxiety, noting that the deaths have been confined to a single blackbuck enclosure and that other animals in the zoo remain unaffected. Officials described the pathogen as possibly new or previously unidentified, which has complicated rapid diagnosis. A report is expected Wednesday after the veterinary team completes its examination. No human infections have been reported.
