In a concerning revelation, a rabies infection has been detected in one of five golden jackals found dead over the past month in Mumbai, according to a forest department official. Following a series of jackal deaths in the same region, brain samples from the last deceased animal were submitted for rabies testing, which confirmed the presence of the virus.

This month, the Thane Territorial Wing of the Forest Department's Mumbai Range discovered the carcasses of two jackals. Three other live jackals were rescued from the area and transferred to RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare) for rehabilitation and care.

Unfortunately, one jackal passed away before treatment could begin, while another received medical attention but succumbed within hours. The third jackal, which had shown unusual behavior before its capture in Chembur, died a day later.

The carcasses were handed over to Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) for postmortem analysis. Brain tissue from the last jackal was sent to Mumbai Veterinary College, where the rabies infection was confirmed.