 "Ten elephants from the same herd died in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. Image courtesy: Representational Image/Freepik")
Ten wild elephants from a herd of 13 were found dead in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve last week. What led to the mysterious deaths? We finally have an answer.
On October 31, the first possible explanation was discovered. While veterinarians are awaiting final post-mortem results, forest officials have suspected that kodo millet poisoning may be responsible.
Four elephants were found dead in the Khitoli range’s Sankhani and Bakeli areas on October 29, followed by another four on October 30, and two more the next day.
Vijay N Ambade, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), suggested that “mycotoxins associated with kodo millet” could be a potential cause.
Following the incident, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav two senior officials of the reserve after a high-level team that investigated the deaths of the elephants submitted its report. Notably, the report ruled out any pesticide or the role of “another side”, the chief minister said.
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What is kodo millet?
Kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum), also known as cow grass or rice grass, is a type of cereal grain cultivated and consumed widely across Central India, particularly on the Deccan Plateau. It is also grown in the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, West Africa, Pakistan and Thailand.
As per the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA), kodo millet is high in fibre and may help manage a variety of conditions, including asthma, migraines, and high blood pressure.
Believed to have originated in India, the crop is largely produced in Madhya Pradesh, according to a 2020 study, Nutritional, Functional Role of Kodo Millet and its Processing: A review
Kodo millet is used to make popular dishes such as idli, dosa, papad, chakli, porridges, and rotis.
Why do farmers cultivate kodo millet?
For many tribal and economically weaker communities in India, kodo millet is a staple food. It is one of the “hardiest crops, drought tolerant with high yield potential and excellent storage properties,” The Indian Express reported citing some studies.
Research suggests that kodo millet is rich in vitamins and minerals, is gluten-free, easy to digest, high in antioxidants, and “might have anti-carcinogenic properties.”
A 2019 study states that “dietary fibre in the seed coat of millet grains is beneficial to human health,” and influences glucose absorption and cholesterol levels, among other metabolic functions.
How kodo millet can be harmful for humans and animals
There have been previous cases of kodo poisoning in animals. A 2003 study in the ‘Journal of Ethnopharmacology’ examined the effects on rats, dogs, and chickens that consumed fungus-infested kodo millet.
The study notes that kodo millet is “frequently infested with this fungus.” One of the earliest reports of kodo millet poisoning appeared in the ‘Indian Medical Gazette’ in 1922, documenting four cases of acute poisoning written by Anand Swarup, an Assistant Surgeon in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
A 1983 paper, ‘Diversity in Kodo Millet’, was the first to document elephant deaths linked to the consumption of kodo millet.
How does kodo millet become poisonous?
A 2023 research paper, ‘Potential Risk of Cyclopiazonic Acid Toxicity in Kodua Poisoning’, explored the causes of kodo millet toxicity.
The report states, “Millets are more prone to fungal infection followed by bacterial and viral; these infections adversely affect the grain and fodder yield. Ergot is a parasitic fungal endophyte that grows in the ear heads of various blades of grass, most frequently on kodo millet. Consumption of such kodo grains is often found to cause poisoning.”
Cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), according to the study, is “associated with the kodo millet seeds causing kodo poisoning which was first recognised during the mid-eighties.”
A 2020 study published in ‘The Pharma Innovation Journal’ recounted an incident in which cattle in Chhattisgarh’s Durg district suffered convulsions, dizziness, limb contractions, and fatalities after consuming kodo millet infested with Claviceps fungi, which also release mycotoxins.
Indian ecologist Raman Sukumar, who specialises in Asian elephant research, told ThePrint, “It is well known that fungal-infected millet grain can produce a variety of toxins such as aflatoxin or ergot which are fatal to animals feeding on them. I know of such cases in Tamil Nadu from the mid-20th century.”
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How kodo poisoning impacts animals
Kodo poisoning primarily impacts the nervous and cardiovascular systems, with key symptoms including “vomiting, dizziness, unconsciousness, rapid and weak pulse, cold extremities, limb tremors, and shaking.”
As cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) is the primary toxic component in kodo poisoning, studies have shown it can cause degeneration, necrosis, and liver dysfunction, as well as damage to the myocardium. CPA affects calcium signalling in the heart, leading to cardiomyocyte damage and impaired heart function.
CPA toxicity has also been linked to “gastrointestinal disorders in animals and can increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the intestine, leading to inflammation and gastrointestinal damage.” These symptoms were reportedly observed by doctors treating the sick elephants, according to IE.
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The solutions to kodo poisoning
To fight kodo poisoning, several researchers recommend biocontrol agents - essentially “using one organism to control another.”
Certain microbes have been shown to “limit fungal growth and mycotoxin production,” according to research. A biological control approach also involves cultivating “competitive, non-toxic strains of the same fungi,” which could protect fields for extended periods.
Researchers advise that farmers should adopt “good agricultural practices with effective post-harvest management, including sorting and proper storage, ideally in hermetic/airtight containers to limit mycotoxin levels.”
Studies also suggest that processing the infected grains can “help reduce disease spread,” The Indian Express reported.
The forest department has now set up a five-member team to investigate the elephant deaths. Teams from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change are also on site.