A wild elephant estimated to be around 38 years old reportedly died after consuming sewage water discharged from Bengaluru city into the Mugguru range of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanakapura taluk of Bengaluru South district.

Forest officials described the incident as possibly the first reported case in Karnataka where a wild animal died due to consumption of sewage-contaminated water inside a forest area.

Vets cite multiple organ failure

According to forest department officials, veterinarians who examined the carcass concluded that the elephant died due to multiple organ failure allegedly caused by prolonged consumption of polluted sewage water.

Officials also stated that a calf was found near the carcass of the elephant, raising concerns among wildlife authorities and conservationists.

A senior forest officer said sewage water from Bengaluru city has been continuously flowing into parts of the reserve forest along with wastewater from nearby villages and fish ponds around the Mugguru forest region.

Concerns over pollution in forest areas

Authorities admitted that preventing sewage discharge from Bengaluru into the forest area remains a major challenge.

Officials stated that while stopping wastewater from nearby villages and fish ponds may be possible with support from local gram panchayats, controlling the larger sewage flow from Bengaluru requires long-term intervention.

The Mugguru forest region is home to several wildlife species including elephants, bears, and leopards.

Tourist access restricted

Following growing concerns, forest authorities have temporarily barred visitors from entering the Mugguru forest area for the past fortnight.

Officials said tourists earlier visited places such as the Gollaradoddi waterfalls inside the forest, often unaware that the water was reportedly contaminated by sewage discharge.

Wildlife activists have now demanded urgent preventive measures to avoid further deaths of animals due to polluted water sources in forest areas.

The incident has triggered fresh concerns about urban pollution affecting Karnataka’s fragile wildlife ecosystems