Fear of rabies from the dead body of a striped hyena

Gadag: There is a possibility of rabies from the dead body of a striped hyena. This is a rare incident. Striped hyena, an endangered species, was found dead near a forest in Gajendragarh on Tuesday. The discovery of the hyena carcass has raised many questions in the minds of wildlife lovers, as the animal is believed to have a strong immune system.

Wildlife activists and forest workers have asked villagers to stay away from forest areas and keep an eye on people who enter the hills or forest areas to kill hyenas or other animals. However, in recent times the increasing presence of forest dwellers in these areas has led to a decline in the number of poaching cases and killings.

This is a rare incident in which a middle-aged hyena was found dead. Biodiversity expert Manjunath Nayak said, “When a hyena eats carcasses infected with rabies or other fungal infections, there is a possibility of the rabies virus spreading in its body.

The main carriers of rabies virus are stray dogs. Canine distemper may be a possibility, which is an infectious and viral disease that affects a wide range of mammal families, including dogs, jackals, foxes, wolves, and domestic and feral species of cats (cats), as well as some Primates are also included. ,

Nikhil Kulkarni, an employee of the veterinary college in Gadag, who is looking after the animals at the zoo, said, “The exact cause of death of the hyena will be known after the post-mortem. Details of the autopsy report will be shared by the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF).

Meanwhile, Gadag DCF Deepika Bajpai said there was no need to panic as the hyena seemed to have died a normal death. He said the presence of the rabies virus is highly unlikely.