Despite being responsible for the care of hundreds of animals across species, many facilities are still running with bare-minimum medical teams and depending on temporary or deputed officers who often lack wildlife-specific experience.
Published Nov 30, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 30, 2025 | 9:00 AM
Over a week ago, 31 of the 38 blackbucks at Belagavi’s Kittur Rani Chennamma Zoo died due to Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS), a fatal bacterial disease.
Synopsis: A series of animal deaths in zoos and rescue centres across Karnataka has exposed a severe shortage of trained wildlife veterinarians in the state. Many facilities continue to depend on deputed Animal Husbandry officers who lack wildlife-specific training, while crucial posts remain vacant and specialist courses within the state are largely absent.
Amid a spate of deaths, illnesses and infections in zoos and rescue centres across Karnataka, attention has once again turned to the state’s dependence on deputed Animal Husbandry officers instead of appointing trained wildlife veterinarians.
Over a week ago, 31 of the 38 blackbucks at Belagavi’s Kittur Rani Chennamma Zoo died due to Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS), a fatal bacterial disease. The deaths came despite an earlier warning issued in September by the National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI), Bengaluru.
Based on previous years’ data and a sudden drop in temperatures in the region, the institute had cautioned of a possible HS outbreak in Belagavi.
The failure to contain the infection despite this alert has raised serious concerns about negligence and the shortage of trained wildlife professionals, not just at the Belagavi zoo but across the state.
In October, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre acknowledged that many posts in zoos, elephant camps and wildlife rehabilitation centres are still lying vacant.
To manage the shortage, the government has been deputing or hiring veterinary officers from the Department of Animal Husbandry on a contractual basis.
However, the minister admitted that this is only a temporary solution and cannot substitute for the expertise of professionally trained wildlife veterinarians.
“Veterinarians are sent on deputation from the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences. Most of them are trained and experienced in treating cattle, sheep, dogs and cats,” said Joseph Hoover, a wildlife activist and former member of the State Wildlife Board.
Despite being responsible for the care of hundreds of animals across species, many facilities are still running with bare-minimum medical teams and depending on temporary or deputed officers who often lack wildlife-specific experience.
The management personnel at the Kittur Rani Chennamma Zoo in Bengaluru include only one veterinarian officer and one veterinarian assistant, along with other administrative posts such as assistant engineer, office assistant, curator and biologist, according to an annual report by the Zoo Authority of Karnataka (2024-25).
However, the vet officer and assistant are both working on an honorarium basis, leaving them insufficiently equipped to manage one of the busiest zoos in the state, which houses over 200 animal and bird species.
A similar situation continues at the Sakrebailu elephant camp in Shivamogga where Balanna, the veteran Mysuru Dasara elephant who carried the Ambari during this year’s procession, developed a severe ear infection after a painkiller injection meant for his leg was mistakenly administered into a nerve in his ear, allegedly by inadequately trained veterinarians.
Meanwhile, another elephant at the camp, Sagar, has been suffering from an old injury that developed into an abscess with a pus-like discharge.
Taking note of these incidents, Khandre directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to submit a comprehensive report on the allegations of negligence by veterinarians and staff responsible for the care of elephants at the Sakrebailu elephant camp.
Hoover told South First that Sakrebailu has no specialist wildlife veterinarian, a fact reflected in the treatment of the camp’s elephants.
In fact, Khandre had stated on several occasions earlier that he had instructed officers to hire a veterinarian on a contract basis if there was no dedicated veterinarian for the elephant camp.
Meanwhile, at the Bannerghatta Biological Park, a pregnant female Indian gaur (Bos gaurus), commonly known as the Indian bison, died in October during an animal exchange operation between the park and Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad.
Currently at Bannerghatta, only one vet officer has been appointed, according to the park’s annual report (2023-24), to manage over 2,000 birds, mammals and reptiles.
The exchange was part of an officially approved inter-zoo programme aimed at enhancing genetic diversity and strengthening conservation breeding initiatives.
According to a statement issued by the Executive Director of Bannerghatta Biological Park, the capture and relocation operation was carried out under the close supervision of veterinary and forest officials. They said they strictly adhered to all prescribed animal welfare protocols and guidelines.
However, according to Central Zoo Authority protocols for the transportation of wild animals, vulnerable categories such as those that are pregnant, geriatric, lactating, suckling, sick, weak, injured or deformed are not allowed to be transported.
The guidelines further recommend that only healthy adult or sub-adult animals are to be moved to prevent undue stress or fatalities during capture or relocation.
In the wake of such incidents, Khandre on 18 November announced that the state government had given in-principle approval to create a separate cadre and appoint 15 wildlife veterinarians.
However, a senior veterinary officer in Karnataka told South First that the problem lies in the absence of specialised wildlife education courses and institutions in the state, which has directly resulted in a shortage of trained veterinarians for such roles.
“Whenever ‘specialised vets’ are appointed, they are usually drawn from the government’s Animal Husbandry department, not because they have formal specialised training, but simply due to their personal passion for the work,” the senior veterinary officer, with 25 years of experience in the field, said.
Research studies have also attested to this. One such study observed that the available 46 veterinary colleges are inadequate to produce the required number of vets. Out of these, only six conform to the standards laid down by the Veterinary Council of India.
Additionally, 26 institutes in the country provide a Veterinary Public Health (VPH) Master’s degree and 15 offer a doctoral degree, with around 60 to 70 public health veterinarians completing the course and 25 scholars awarded doctoral degrees every year.
“From the perspective of long-term capacity building, for a country as large as India, this human-resource output is extremely limited, thus making the core capacity to support growing VPH needs grossly under-planned,” the study said.
Meanwhile, vet officers explained that they handle crucial tasks such as preparing and administering injections for treatment. From choosing the right medicine to calculating the correct dosage and filling the syringe properly, the vet officer handles the entire process. They said this cannot be done by officers who are not trained in the profession.
“The government itself has to take responsibility for the basic training. If that isn’t possible here, they should send people abroad to countries like South Africa and Australia, where specialised courses are available,” the vet officer said.
Experts and vet officers also expressed concern over growing wildlife conflicts in the state and the acute shortage of trained professionals to handle them effectively. Khandre earlier said that about 55 to 60 people die in Karnataka each year due to wild animal attacks.
In 2022-23, 57 people were killed: 32 by elephants, five by tigers and 20 by other animals. In 2023-24, 65 people were killed: 48 by elephants, five by tigers and 12 by other animals.
In 2024-25, 46 people were killed: 36 in elephant attacks, two in tiger attacks and eight in attacks by other wild animals. In 2025-26, 30 people have been killed so far in wild animal attacks, including 20 by elephants and four by tigers.
“Such conflicts are being reported because of the gap in the system. The government needs to address the root problem,” the vet officer said.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
