What ails Bannerghatta’s big cats?

Why are so many animals dying at the Bannerghatta Biological Park? Two tigers and two lions died over the weekend. Ten other tigers are reported to be quite sick, showing symptoms of gastroenteritis and jaundice.

After four-year-old safari tigress Divya died on Sunday, an autopsy report revealed that she had been suffering from gastroenteritis and jaundice. Ten tigers in the rescue centre and the safari now show symptoms similar to the dead tigress, giving safari officials cause for much worry.

Among the afflicted are a white tiger, two old tigers, Arya and Surya, and the dead Divya’s mother Anu, and two siblings, Minchu and Inchara.

A team of six veterinarians from the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinarian Biologicals (IAHVB) visited BBP and collected blood and serum samples. The cause of death is suspected to be contaminated meat and water. Everyday, carnivores are fed around 500-600 kilograms of meat. The whole lot of meat cannot be checked thoroughly, an official said, adding that there might have been a carcass that was infected, which caused the animals that fed on it to fall ill.

On condition of anonymity, a BBP official confirmed that all the meat is not tested before being fed to the animals. Tests to be followed by the slaughter houses are specified in the tenders, he said, and only physical tests to see that the meat is not rotting can be done by workers. More rigorous analysis of the meat is rather more tedious and will only yield results days later, the official said, adding that water might have been contaminated too.

Assistant director, veterinarian services, BBP, BC Chittiappa, said that since January this year, five tigers and five lions have died. Divya was a safari tigress, and the other animals were housed at the rescue centre in the BBP. All the animals showing symptoms of gastroenteritis and jaundice are being administered antibiotics and precautionary medication.

Member-secretary of the zoo authority of Karnataka, MN Jaykumar, said that the infected animals have been isolated. They are showing signs of recovery, but need to be monitored for 48 hours, he said, adding that the lions have not, so far, shown signs of illness. Both the lions that died recently were old. He is not ruling out the possibility that the infection might be on account of rats.
Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), BK Singh, said that all precautionary measures were in place, and arrangements have been made for the proper treatment of the animals.

Meanwhile, on Monday, a sloth bear was hit by a safari vehicle. It is now being treated for an injury sustained in the shoulder. A leopard from the Bannerghatta National Park recently jumped across the wall into the herbivores’ safari area and killed a Neelgai.