7 elephants found dead in India's Bandhavgarh reserve

NEW DELHI, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least seven elephants have died in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, officials said Wednesday.

The cause of death is not known yet and officials said a post-mortem was being conducted. Wildlife officials suspected the elephants might have consumed crops sprayed with pesticides.

Officials said a herd of 13 elephants was found roaming together in the area a few days ago, which reportedly destroyed crops around the BTR.

"On Tuesday, four wild elephants were found dead in the BTR. Today, three more elephants have died, taking the toll to seven," an official said. "Three elephants are undergoing treatment; one has fully recovered and two healthy elephants are under observation."

Medical teams are treating the sick elephants and doctors are seeking guidance from the experts of the Wildlife Institute of India.

The local government has ordered an inquiry into the elephant deaths at the reserve, and the Delhi-based Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has also set up a committee to investigate the deaths. ■