Raipur: Chhattisgarh's severe heatwave continues to claim wildlife across multiple districts, with over 500 bats reported dead in Kanker district following 200 bat deaths in Korba recently. Additionally, more than 15 wild birds and animals, including peacocks and palm civets, were found dead in Khairagarh's Dallikholi-Lachhna forest belt.
The deaths, occurring during soaring temperatures amid Nautapa, have alarmed villagers and forest officials, transforming the state's heatwave from a public health crisis into an ecological warning.
Mass Bat Deaths in Kanker
In Kanker district, residents of Sarona village reported that bats have been falling from trees in large numbers over the past three to four days. Many bats were seen collapsing suddenly from branches and dying within minutes, spreading panic among locals who now avoid tree-covered stretches.
Local estimates suggest more than 500 bats have died in the village so far. Officials suspect severe heat stress and dehydration caused by prolonged exposure to hot winds may have triggered the deaths.
Wildlife Deaths in Khairagarh
A similar alarm was raised from Khairagarh district, where carcasses of wild birds and animals were found in Dallikholi forest under the Lachhna sub-circle. The dead included three peacocks (one male and two females), two owls, two crows, an Oriental magpie robin, a rufous treepie, a black drongo, and five palm civets.
Forest staff reached the spot after receiving information from a Dongargarh resident. The carcasses were collected, and the area around a nearby water source was placed under watch to rule out poisoning or suspicious activity.
A veterinary team from Kanan Pendari, Bilaspur, conducted postmortems. Officials said initial findings point to heatwave impact, with extreme hot winds causing severe internal damage in the animals. Viscera samples and water samples from the nearby source have been preserved for further testing.
Khairagarh DFO Pankaj Rajput stated that the deaths appear, prima facie, to have been caused by heatwave conditions, though further investigation is underway.
Heatwave Conditions Persist
The wildlife deaths come as large parts of Chhattisgarh endure dry, furnace-like conditions. Rajnandgaon recorded 45.5 degrees Celsius in the past 24 hours, while Raipur crossed 45 degrees Celsius. Central Chhattisgarh is likely to continue facing heatwave conditions for the next two to three days, according to the weather office.
