Investigators in Colorado are stumped after dozens of cattle inexplicably dropped dead in a remote corner of the state, The Guardian reported.
About 40 cows and calves were found dead in northwest Colorado in the past two months. Initially, wolves were blamed for the deaths, but Colorado parks and wildlife (CPW) officials have since said that only five of the deceased cattle showed wolf-related injuries. Now, investigators are focusing on whether or not the cows could have been infected with a deadly bacteria, but postmortems revealed no evidence of that.
“We’re scratching our heads a little bit. We don’t know exactly what has occurred up there,” Travis Black, CPW north-west region manager, said.
Investigators even reportedly used sophisticated technology to determine in wolves were even present in the area. They used trail cameras and manned flights, but after everything, they found no evidence of wolves in the area.
“That doesn’t mean they’re not there. Sometimes wolves can be difficult to locate,” Black said.
Black has said that the investigation will continue but admitted that it might take some time.
This story follows recent news about a flock of sheep in China that was filmed walking continuously in a circle for 12 days, which baffled the world.
Many have suggested that it could be due to listeriosis, a bacterial disease that is also commonly referred to as ‘circling disease.’ The disease can cause a lack of appetite, depression, and loss of coordination in sheep. However, the disease is usually fatal and causes death within two days, which doesn’t explain why the sheep continued to do this for so long.
