Kedarnath yatra: Sudden mule deaths force Uttarakhand govt to suspend pack animal service

Kedarnath Dham

Fourteen mules have died on the Kedarnath trek within the first three days of the Char Dham Yatra, after which the Uttarakhand government has suspended mule services on the route and has launched an investigation into the cause of the deaths.

To find out what caused the deaths and to stop more from happening, the State has asked for help from experts at the ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines in Hisar. The BJP government has decided to stop mule services on the route starting May 6 to prevent any possible spread of disease among the animals. Eight horses died on May 3 and six more died on May 4, The Hindu reported.

BVRC Purushottam, Secretary of the Animal Husbandry Department, said that the health of all mules and horses carrying pilgrims is being checked carefully. “We are conducting thorough health checks on the animals to detect any signs of illness. Any animal showing nasal discharge will be immediately withdrawn from service,” he told The Hindu.

Primary investigations suggest that equine influenza, a disease that spreads quickly among horses and mules, might be the cause of the 14 deaths.  Earlier this year, there were already some cases of this disease, and over 16,000 animals were tested. Out of these, 152 tested positive in blood tests, but further tests (RTPCR) did not confirm the virus, so the exact cause of death is still unclear.

BVRC Purushottam informed that while some symptoms seen in the dead animals point to illness, they do not fully match those usually seen in equine influenza. The expert team from Hisar will study the cases in detail to confirm the real cause. “While the deaths are unusual, we do not intend to suspend the Yatra. We are taking all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of both animals and pilgrims,” he said.

A similar situation happened in 2010, when the Yatra was briefly paused due to a rise in mule deaths. This year, authorities say the Yatra will go on, but with stronger safety measures in place.

The Char Dham Yatra began on April 28 with the opening of the Gangotri temple. The Kedarnath temple opened on May 2. So far, over 4,300 mule and horse operators, along with around 8,000 animals, have registered to carry pilgrims along the tough 18-km trek from Gaurikund to Kedarnath.