Suspected ‘galghontu’ outbreak kills 10 blackbucks in Jamshedpur zoo

Zoo authorities said the park housed 18 blackbucks, of which only eight remain. Antibacterial spraying has been initiated in the enclosures, and the Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park in Ormanjhi, Ranchi, has been put on alert.

Deputy Director Naim Akhatar said the first death was reported on December 1, followed by daily fatalities, the last being Saturday. Post-mortem samples have been sent to Ranchi Veterinary College, which helped identify the cause as Pasteurella bacteria. The final report is expected Monday.

Speaking to The Indian Express, deputy director Akhatar explained that haemorrhagic septicaemia is well documented in livestock and often spreads during seasonal transitions, particularly winter months.

“This is a very common disease in cows and buffaloes. It produces symptoms resembling pneumonia, breathing distress, fever, and swelling in the neck region. Unfortunately, when it affects wild ungulates like blackbucks, the progression is extremely rapid,” he said.

Akhatar pointed out that the same disease recently caused 38 blackbuck deaths in Belagavi, Karnataka. The current outbreak suggests blackbucks have a specific vulnerability.

“The pattern is identical. It appears the bacteria affects blackbucks more aggressively than many other species,” he said.

The deputy director said Pasteurella is omnipresent in the environment due to the widespread presence of cattle.

“The bacteria are everywhere. Because of cows and buffaloes, it stays in the environment. Whether an animal gets infected depends entirely on its immunity. If immunity dips even briefly, the infection can strike,” Akhatar said.

The deputy director, while explaining how the bacteria may have entered the zoo ecosystem, said the spread occurs when cattle are abandoned carelessly. Crow droppings — known carriers of livestock pathogens — was the most common mode of transmission in both rural and urban set-ups.

“In cattle, when an animal dies of this disease, many times it is left in open areas. Crows and other scavengers feed on the carcasses. After scavenging, they need a place to roost. Our zoo and the adjoining Jubilee Park are major roosting grounds for crows, especially at night,” he said.

Akhatar said the zoo has now contained the situation, adding that treatment is ongoing for the remaining blackbucks and preventive medication has been started for other animals even though they are not showing symptoms.

“It [the deaths] are unfortunate but sometimes unavoidable,” he said.