Monkey 'poisoning': SGNP awaits post-mortem report

A search team recovered nine carcasses of monkeys from the banks of Tulsi lake, a core area of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), around 8.30am on Sunday. Post mortem has been conducted on them and their viscera have been sent for laboratory testing to determine whether it was indeed a case of poisoning as is being speculated.

The half-eaten carcasses were first found by trekkers on Saturday. Two monkeys were still alive at the time, but were having seizures and their skin had turned blue, indicating that they might have been poisoned. The carcasses of four crows, which were probably feeding on the corpses, were also found at the spot. A few metres away, trekkers also found food laid out on plastic bags and a burnt pair of surgical gloves.

Vikas Gupta, director of SGNP and chief conservator of forests, said, "The post mortem results should be out in 3 to 4 days. This is certainly not a case of natural death. Nine to ten monkeys dying at the same time is definitely suspicious. Investigations are on to determine whether the carcasses were dumped or whether they were killed by poisoning."

Tulsi lake is Mumbai's second largest lake and supplies potable water to the city. Gupta told dna that over 60 forest range officers guard the area, along with 'fire sighters' at this time of the year. However, he said that it was virtually impossible to stop everybody from entering this restricted section.

"Trekkers come in from Thane and Mulund after crossing the hill. There are guards stationed there, but the expanse of the area is huge. While a 40km-long wall exists, work is on to complete the wall in order to demarcate the park's boundary," added Gupta.