A deepening mystery surrounds the sudden and widespread deaths of wildlife in Karnataka, as 20 peacocks have been discovered dead under suspicious circumstances in Hanumanthapura village. This alarming incident follows closely on the heels of the unnatural demise of 20 monkeys, and, most notably, a tigress and her four cubs, raising serious concerns among conservationists and authorities.
The grim discovery in Hanumanthapura village involved the carcasses of 20 peacocks – three male and seventeen female – found scattered across farmland adjacent to a stream. Farmers in the area made the distressing find and immediately alerted forest officials. Upon learning about the unnatural deaths of the national birds, forest department personnel promptly visited the site to conduct an inspection. All the carcasses have been sent to the Forensic Science Labs for comprehensive tests to determine the precise cause of death, with the report eagerly awaited.
This latest tragedy adds to a disturbing series of wildlife fatalities that have recently plagued the state. Just weeks ago, on July 2, the carcasses of 20 monkeys were recovered in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district. Forest and police officials strongly suspect that these monkeys were deliberately poisoned.
Even more shocking was the incident in June, which saw the sudden death of the national animal – a tigress and her four cubs – in the Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. The investigation into this highly publicized case revealed a horrific truth: the tigress and her four cubs tragically died after consuming a poisoned cow. Sources indicated that the tigress had killed a cow and dragged it into the Meenyam forest area within the Hoogyam range of the sanctuary. It is suspected that local villagers, upon discovering the cow’s carcass, poisoned it. The tigress and her cubs are believed to have returned to the kill, consuming the poisoned meat and succumbing to its effects.
The repeated incidents of unnatural wildlife deaths, particularly involving poisoning, highlight a severe and escalating human-wildlife conflict in the region. Conservationists are expressing grave concern over the pattern of fatalities and are urging for expedited investigations and robust measures to protect the state’s precious biodiversity. These events underscore the urgent need for greater awareness, community engagement, and stricter enforcement of wildlife protection laws to prevent further such tragedies.
