At least 15 rare gaurs or Indian bisons have mysteriously died in Thailand's Kui Buri National Park in the pas... Read More

BANGKOK: At least 15 rare gaurs or Indian bisons have mysteriously died in Thailand's Kui Buri National Park in the past few days, leaving wildlife officials baffled.

Officials feel disease or food poisoning could be the probable causes behind the spate of deaths at the Park in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said.

DNP director-general Theerapat Prayurasiddhi said veterinarians and National Institute of Animal Health experts are looking into the issue and plan to collect soil specimens.

Theerapat said consumption of contaminated food was the most likely cause.

All the dead animals were found in the Kunshorn forest plantation project.

He said the forest plantation project zone used to be agricultural land before the department brought it under national park control about a decade ago and it was possible there were toxic pesticide residues in the soil.

Veterinarians are also looking into disease as a possible cause of the deaths.

Gaurs are among the largest living land animals. Only elephants, rhinos, the hippopotamus and the giraffe consistently grow heavier.