Two lions among 12 sick animals at zoo

HYDERABAD: About 12 animals, including two Asiatic lions, one Royal Bengal tiger and an Indian rhino, are undergoing treatment for various ailments at the Nehru Zoological Park here in the City. Though zoo officials say it’s nothing to be worried about, the number has had animal rights activists worried as 32 animals have died in the State zoos in the past seven months.“On an average, every week about 10 animals out of the 1,334 at the zoo park fall ill,” said  P Srinivas, veterinary assistant surgeon of the Nehru Zoological Park. According to him, it is very common at the zoo as it houses 143 species, including 702 birds, 215 reptiles and 417 mammals.Of the sick animals, a two-and-a-half-years old tamed bear has been suffering from multi-organ problems for the past one year. It’s the only major case. The rest are suffering from minor ailments, the zoo officials said. Two sambar deers have had bruises which they sustained during one of their regular clashes. As for the two Asiatic lions, both aged 8, the officials said they too had bruises. The rest, including a two-and-a-half-year old spotted deer, a seven-year-old sloth bear and a male nilgai, too are suffering from minor wounds. The injuries of the rhino, however, seem to be a cause of concern. Its leg was wounded during transit from Pune to Hyderabad in August. It’s yet to recover and has been kept off the enclosure since its arrival in the zoo.The veterinary doctor said, “All the time the zoo has been taking measures to control diseases among animals. The animal mortality rate at the zoo has been steadily decreasing every year. In 2010, 20 animals died, in 2009, 21 died, in 2008 25 died and in 2007, 28 had died.”All the animals are being given medical treatment by retired animal pathologist Dr K Ramakrishna (presently a consultant with the Hyderabad Race Course) and senior veterinary doctors Dr GL Khan  and  Dr  L Naveen. The animals have been kept off display for observation, said M Mallikarjuna Rao, AP zoos director.Officials of the Central Zoo Authority and curators and directors of other zoos in the country visited the Hyderabd zoo last week and praised its hygienic maintenance.