Just days after the horrifying discovery of five poisoned tigers, another shocking incident has emerged in Karnataka. Authorities recovered the carcasses of 20 monkeys on Wednesday in Chamarajanagar district, raising fresh concerns about targeted wildlife killings.
Forest and police officials suspect the monkeys were poisoned. Initial investigations indicate that the animals were killed at one location and their bodies were later dumped along the Kandegala-Kodasoge road under the Gundlupet police station limits. The exact motive and those responsible remain unknown, with more details awaited.
This comes close on the heels of the sensational Meenyam forest case, where a tigress and her four cubs were poisoned after they fed on the carcass of a cow laced with poison by villagers. Three men—Konappa, Madaraju, and Nagaraju from Koppa village—were arrested and confessed to the crime.
The investigation had revealed that the tigress had killed a cow, and when she returned with her cubs to feed on the remains, they were all fatally poisoned. Their bodies were discovered within 800 metres of an anti-poaching camp, just 100 metres from a road.
Following public outrage, the Karnataka government sent three senior forest officials on compulsory leave for negligence. It was also revealed that staff at the anti-poaching camp hadn’t been paid for over three months.
The monkey deaths now add to the growing pattern of wildlife killings, highlighting deep cracks in forest vigilance and the urgent need for accountability.