Drive to protect animals from diseases in zoo

By T. Lalith Singh

HYDERABAD, JULY 13. As news of more animals becoming mysteriously ill trickles in from different parts of the country, the authorities at the Nehru Zoological Park in the city, which houses more than 2,400 animals, birds and rodents, have initiated measures to prevent such tragedies here.

One of the 14 tigers housed here did give some anxious moments to the Zoo authorities last week. Exhibiting signs of debility, four-year-old Vinay refused food for a couple of days which had the authorities scurrying to the Veterinary Biological Research Institute (VBRI) with blood smears of the feline.

"Vinay appeared weak. There could have been many reasons including climatic changes. But, in the wake of the outbreak of tripanosomiasis in Nandankanan Zoo in Orissa, we did not want to take any risk," said the Assistant Conservator, Mr. K.C.Pillai.

The VBRI which examined the blood smears had already submitted its report. "The eight slides we examined were free from blood parasitic infection and the test for tripanosomiasis was also negative," said the VBRI Assistant Director (Cattle), Dr. G. Ram Reddy.

As a precautionary measure, all the big cat population of six jaguars, two pumas, six panthers, seven Asiatic lions along with nine cubs and eight African lions were given shots of Antricide Prosalt, an injection believed to provide safety cover from infections for a period of four months. The routine practise of checking faecas and deworming of animals and birds has been stepped up.

Even the birds were given antibiotic shots, claims the Zoo Hospital Chief, Dr. M. Navin Kumar. "As of now, I can say that all the animals are safe and healthy," he said.

Sanitising the moats and spraying them with disinfectant was also taken up apart from paying special attention on the diet given to the carnivorous. Said Mr. Pillai, "Earlier, we used to get beef from Gannavaram in Vijayawada. Now we are procuring it from the nearby Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad slaughter house. It is given to animals only after making it germ-free and certified by the veterinarian." Along with the regular feed of five kg. of beef every day, the big animals were also being given calcium supplements.

Currently, another tiger, Karuna, is under medical attention for injuries that it suffered on the back while being transferred to a cage. It had a close shave as the injury escaped the spine by a few inches. "An injury on the spine could have paralysed the hind legs rendering the tiger immobile forever," confides an official.

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