<p>The death of 31 blackbucks at the Kittur Rani Chennamma Mini Zoo in Belagavi raises questions about the state’s ability to protect the very wildlife it is entrusted to conserve. These antelopes, listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, are among the most endangered species in the country. They are kept in zoos not for display alone, but to aid conservation through healthy breeding. </p><p>Laboratory reports have confirmed, on Tuesday, that the deaths happened due to Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS), a bacterial disease. Officials at the zoo are investigating how the animals could have contracted the infection and are monitoring the health of seven other blackbucks – also infected – and other animals in the facility. Even as the authorities await conclusive evidence on the contamination, the incident presents an opportunity for the state to bolster existing safeguards. When a large number of animals die within 72 hours, it shows that systems meant to flag early warning signs may have faltered.</p>.Belagavi zoo blackbuck deaths | Haemorrhagic Septicaemia confirmed .<p>Officials argue that blackbucks are sensitive animals that cannot be trapped for vaccination, and that medication is administered through food. Yet, if all herbivores were given the same food and only the blackbucks succumbed, it points to a possible species-specific vulnerability. </p><p>Experts are also considering the possibility of the animals having contracted the infection because of a shift in climate patterns.</p>.<p>What must the state do now? First, accountability cannot stop at action relevant to individual cases. The government should initiate an independent, time-bound inquiry with wildlife health experts, epidemiologists, and zoo management specialists, not just forest officers investigating their own ranks. </p><p>Second, it must overhaul biosecurity protocols across all zoos. This includes strict sanitation rules for staff, ensuring uncontaminated water sources, and enforcing mandatory vaccination of cattle in the adjoining villages to cut off potential disease reservoirs. </p><p>Third, every zoo must establish 24×7 health surveillance units with adequate staffing, training, and diagnostic support. A centralised database for tracking symptoms, treatments, and mortality across the state’s zoos is essential for early detection of outbreaks. </p><p>Ultimately, the government must recognise that conservation in captivity entails an ethical responsibility. When endangered species die in such numbers, it is also a breach of the public’s trust in the state’s ability to safeguard its wildlife. The deaths must be a turning point in Karnataka’s approach to captive wildlife; one that leads to institutional reform, scientific accountability, and a stronger culture of care within the state’s conservation framework.</p>
<p>The death of 31 blackbucks at the Kittur Rani Chennamma Mini Zoo in Belagavi raises questions about the state’s ability to protect the very wildlife it is entrusted to conserve. These antelopes, listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, are among the most endangered species in the country. They are kept in zoos not for display alone, but to aid conservation through healthy breeding. </p><p>Laboratory reports have confirmed, on Tuesday, that the deaths happened due to Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS), a bacterial disease. Officials at the zoo are investigating how the animals could have contracted the infection and are monitoring the health of seven other blackbucks – also infected – and other animals in the facility. Even as the authorities await conclusive evidence on the contamination, the incident presents an opportunity for the state to bolster existing safeguards. When a large number of animals die within 72 hours, it shows that systems meant to flag early warning signs may have faltered.</p>.Belagavi zoo blackbuck deaths | Haemorrhagic Septicaemia confirmed .<p>Officials argue that blackbucks are sensitive animals that cannot be trapped for vaccination, and that medication is administered through food. Yet, if all herbivores were given the same food and only the blackbucks succumbed, it points to a possible species-specific vulnerability. </p><p>Experts are also considering the possibility of the animals having contracted the infection because of a shift in climate patterns.</p>.<p>What must the state do now? First, accountability cannot stop at action relevant to individual cases. The government should initiate an independent, time-bound inquiry with wildlife health experts, epidemiologists, and zoo management specialists, not just forest officers investigating their own ranks. </p><p>Second, it must overhaul biosecurity protocols across all zoos. This includes strict sanitation rules for staff, ensuring uncontaminated water sources, and enforcing mandatory vaccination of cattle in the adjoining villages to cut off potential disease reservoirs. </p><p>Third, every zoo must establish 24×7 health surveillance units with adequate staffing, training, and diagnostic support. A centralised database for tracking symptoms, treatments, and mortality across the state’s zoos is essential for early detection of outbreaks. </p><p>Ultimately, the government must recognise that conservation in captivity entails an ethical responsibility. When endangered species die in such numbers, it is also a breach of the public’s trust in the state’s ability to safeguard its wildlife. The deaths must be a turning point in Karnataka’s approach to captive wildlife; one that leads to institutional reform, scientific accountability, and a stronger culture of care within the state’s conservation framework.</p>
