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More deer deaths likely at Orissa zoo

M I Khan in Bhubaneswar

The fear of death is looming large over almost all deer at the Nandankanan biological park and zoo in Orissa following widespread tuberculosis.

''We fear more deer deaths at the zoo in the coming days," said some zoo-keepers.

A source at the zoo said that most of the 60 deer were suffering from tuberculosis, several of them struggling to survive as the tuberculosis is in an advanced stage.

An eight-member health team from the Orissa veterinary college, deputed by the state government has been sent to the zoo, for a blanket health check-up of the animals.

The source said that in one month, about four deer died in the zoo. They included three spotted deer and a Manipuri thamin deer. While the spotted ones died of suspected tuberculosis, the latter died of hamemorrhagic gastro-enteritis.

Two spotted deer have died at the zoo last week.

Last month's deaths included 13 tigers, a crocodile and a deer, at the zoo.

Zoo director Vinod Kumar admitted that several deer in the zoo were suffering from tuberculosis. He told rediff.com that during a medical check-up, symptoms of tuberculosis were detected among the deer, but some of them were suffering from acute tuberculosis.

Last week, two spotted deer died due to acute tuberculosis, he said.

A senior member of the health team said that it was difficult to go in for clinical examination of all deer as they are weak-hearted. The team has to go in for multi-drug treatment by mixing drugs in the feed in appropriate doses.

This will continue for a month, after which the condition of the deer will be reviewed by the team. Then it may opt for continuous treatment, depending on the level of improvement in their condition.

Since deer are more vulnerable to the disease, which spreads fast, as they live in one enclosure in the park, the team has suggested that the park authorities isolate new-borns. The healthy ones can also be separated, but the zoo authorities have to plan for it, the source said.

The team has not ruled out the possibility killing the ailing deer. The central team is likely to arrive soon and take preventive measures, he said.

Kumar added that in the first week of the month, during a medical check-up, it was found that five deer were suffering from acute tuberculosis. "We started treatment but two of them died," he said.

Kumar said that the three deer who may not survive for more than two months. "The spread of tuberculosis among the deer at the zoo is not exceptional. There is no zoo where the deer are not suffering from this disease," he claimed.

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