SGNP's oldest, most adored leopard on death bed?

Krishna, one of the oldest and most adored captive leopards at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Mumbai, has vets and park officials worried. The 18-year-old feline, who has been undergoing treatment for a chest infection since the past four days, is now in critical condition and has stopped responding to treatment. Dr Shailesh Pethe, veterinary officer, SGNP told DNA, "Couple of months ago she had similar health issues, but we managed a good recovery. This time though does she not only remain critical, but also unresponsive. She has not eaten anything since Friday evening and has not been able to even stand up."

Due to this, Krishna, who is also known as Rani, has several maggot wounds, he said. "We have tried to apply medicine, but cleaning the wounds is proving to be a problem. To do that, we need to tranquillize her, but given her old age and health condition, she cannot be sedated." Krishna has been a darling of animal keepers, vets, and all SGNP officials. "She was just two months old when she was brought to SGNP from Pen in Raigad. She was rescued after being found abandoned by her mother.

Animal keepers remember keeping a round-the-clock vigil on her health, and feeding baby Krishna using milk bottles," said Pethe. "It's an emotionally drainingmoment for my team watch her in her last phase," he said. Raja, Krishna's mate died in October 2014; they had been together since she was one-year-old. Anand Bharti, former Conservator of Forest, SGNP, now settled in Nanded, also expressed his concern for Krishna. She was brought to the park when he was heading it. "I still remember she was such a playful cub. She used to wait for my wife and me in the morning and used to keep growling till we went to her. That had become our routine for several years," he said.