The oldest tigress at Kamla Nehru Zoo in Kankaria 'Seema' died a natural death on Monday. The 16-year-old tigress was part of zoo for the past 14 years.Now the zoo has only two tigers - a male and a female.
Seema was born at the Nandan Kanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneshwar in December 1995 and was brought to Ahmedabad in April 1998.The tigress had been unwell for few days but had recovered soon after she was given intensive medical treatment. Moreover she had also resumed having food.
"Generally, animals stop consuming food as they near death or when they are ill. However, Seema on the other hand ate whatever food was given to her on Sunday evening," said SK Sahoo, superintendent of Kamla Nehru Zoo.
The tigress had no cubs because of health reasons. The hospital's veterinary team at Anand had advised the zoo authorities here to not let her mate as it could prove dangerous for her, said a zoo official.
On Monday Seema was found sleeping in the cage. When she did not respond to the animal keeper's call, the medical officer was summoned who declared her dead.
Her body was send to the veterinary hospital in Anand for post-mortem and reports confirmed that the tigress died due to old age, said a statement issued by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
The zoo authorities disposed off her body in the presence of officials of forest department.With the death of Seema, the zoo now has only one tiger and a tigress. The zoo has a capacity to keep four tigers. "We may arrange for the mating of the existing couple when we are sure that the tiger and tigress have reached the maturity age. We may even ask for permission to bring more tigers from another zoo," said Sahoo.
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