Two more wild cats die at BBP

Docs say this time it is because of old age complications, not infection

Just as people had started forgetting the deaths of wild cats at the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP), two more animals died yesterday. Though, the reason was not Salmonella or e.coli, but multiple organ failure, and old age.Last week we had published that Ganesh, a 15-year-old leopard was critically ill, and doctors had no hopes whatsoever, because he was old.


Death of a king: Raja died around 4.30 am. It belonged to the Rescue
Centre (RC) and Ganesh, the leopard was from the zoo. Pic/Satish Badiger

BBP officials had clearly said that they might not be able to save the leopard that was ailing since more than a month. Finally this male leopard died at 12.30 am yesterday.On the same day, another 26-year-old lion Raja, also died around 4.30 am due to old age. This lion belongs to the Rescue Centre (RC) and the Ganesh was from the zoo.

Ganesh was rescued from H D Kote on September 18, 1996 when it was just a 3-month-old cub. Raja was rescued from Geetha Circus from Gulbarga and was brought to the RC on December 24, 2000, at the age of 16 years. Raja was the oldest animal compared to others housed at the Rehabilitation Centre.

At present, there are 13 tigers and lions housed at the Bannerghatta Rescue Centre (BRC), aged between 19 years and above, and the oldest being 23 years.

Millo Tago, Executive Director and Conservator of Forests (BBP), told MiD DAY, "Ganesh was suffering with a neurological disorder and was surviving on fluid therapy since the last one month. We had lost hopes as he hadn't shown any sign of improvement despite the treatment."

Chittiappa, Assistant Director, Veterinary Services (BBP) said, "Raja died due to the acute and final state infection of Tuberculosis, kidney failure and old age. But Ganesh died due to multiple organ failure and also had a defective gall bladder since its birth."

"It is very difficult and risky treating the animals at the RC as we won't know the past history of the animal. They might have undergone trauma and sufferings during the pre and post rescue process. The rescued animals from the circuses are either infected with serious diseases or had been treated badly," said Dr Chittiappa.