Just days after the tiger poisoning incident in MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, a fresh case of animal cruelty has emerged—this time in Gundlupet taluk, Chamarajanagar district. On Wednesday, forest officials recovered the carcasses of 18 monkeys from the Kandegala-Kodasoge road near the Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) buffer zone. Two others, found alive but weak, were rushed to a veterinary hospital.
Initial signs point to poisoning. Dr Mahadesh, assistant director of animal husbandry, said postmortems were carried out under forest department supervision, with samples sent for lab confirmation.
Preliminary findings suggest that the monkeys may have been poisoned by local farmers retaliating against crop damage. Two empty gunny bags were found near the scene, though CCTV footage from nearby farms did not reveal any vehicles transporting the animals.
The incident has triggered anger among locals and wildlife activists. Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre condemned the killings, confirming that a Wildlife Offence Report (WOR 04/2025-26) has been filed. A special team has also been formed to track down those responsible.
Malathi Priya, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Mysuru forest circle, said the investigation is ongoing and that action will be taken once postmortem results are confirmed.
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