The miseries of spotted deer housed in the Delhi zoo have aggravated with 13 more deer being afflicted with the dreaded rabies. Delhi Zoo has recorded death of 16 spotted deer dues to rabies during last three months. Zoo authorities said on Wednesday that they have segregated the affected deer and are being treated. Vaccination drive has been started to save other animals from being affected by rabies.
Riyaz Khan, Zoo Curator told The Pioneer that rabies test was conducted on the 13 affected deer and all have been reported positive. Through the disease is non - communicable but we are transferring infected deer in separate blocks under the supervision of veterinary doctors.
“The animals are being vaccinated in a group of 6 and have been kept in separate area. So far, near to 25 deer have been vaccinated. The process of vaccination of a group of animals can take more days, in which three doses of vaccine is given” an official said. Along with the animals, zookeepers are also being vaccinated. All workers wear gloves and boots before entering the deer enclosure, the curator said.
Delhi zoo houses around 120 spotted deer. The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has asked for a detailed report from the National Zoological Park in this regard. CZA runs its breeding programmes for the Royal Bengal Tiger, Indian rhinoceros, swamp deer,
Asiatic lion, brow-antlered deer and red jungle fowl, at the Delhi zoo.
However, the wild animal activists have claimed that as per the laws, it is the responsibility of Zoo authority to ensure vaccination so that other animals are not affected.
Earlier , zoo officials said that there is chance of an infected animal’s saliva can come in to contact with human blood. They did not provide any valid reason for this apprehension though.
Zoo officials also added that the outbreak surfaced on February 14 after drain water swamped the deer enclosure. When two of the animals died, officials assumed they drank contaminated water. But soon other deer started falling ill, with at least one of them frothing at the mouth. Delhi zoo has different categories of deer. Among them, the most popular are Swamp, Sangali, Barking, Sambar, Sikka, Hog and Spotted deer.