BELAGAVI: A major wildlife health crisis has struck Belagavi, with the Karnataka Zoo Authority confirming that the mass death of 31 blackbucks at the Kittur Rani Chennamma Mini Zoo was caused by Hemorrhagic Septicemia (HS), a highly fatal bacterial infection known to kill herbivores within hours.
A high-level expert committee led by Authority Member Secretary Sunil Panwal and senior wildlife veterinarian Dr Prayag inspected the facility on Tuesday and issued a preliminary confirmation of the outbreak after reviewing enclosure conditions, death patterns, and lab indicators. The team has directed zoo authorities to impose strict biosecurity controls, sanitation drives, and continuous surveillance of remaining herbivore populations. Carnivores, officials clarified, are not at risk from the disease.
District In-charge and Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi visited the zoo on Tuesday to review the emergency response and meet veterinarians, staff, and senior forest officials.
Calling the mass deaths “deeply alarming and unacceptable”, the minister directed the zoo administration to tighten disease-prevention mechanisms and ensure round-the-clock veterinary monitoring for all animals — particularly endangered and high-stress species. Zoo authorities briefed him that the infection currently appears contained to blackbucks, although intensive surveillance remains underway for tigers, lions, leopards, deer species, and exotic birds. Jarkiholi stressed accountability and transparency, assuring that the government will take corrective action to prevent recurrence.
Kulkarni, who has adopted several animals in the zoo including a leopard, blackbuck, hyena and rare birds described the deaths as “personally devastating and institutionally revealing.”