Many questions shrouded the death of tigress Durga at Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park on December 14 as she was attached to celebrity and actress Priyanka Chopra, who had adopted her last year. According to the park authorities, however, the 14-year-old tigress died of “the rarest of rare disease” in the history of the park.
The autopsy report released by Ranchi Veterinary College states that Durga was suffering from toxemia as a result of mummified foetus. It led to Cardio-Respiratory failure. Mummified foetus is the condition in which autolysis of undeveloped or partially developed foetus inside the closed uterus occurs. In this condition slow toxin is released in the blood circulation which causes slow damage in vital organs like kidney and liver.
"No clinical manifestation usually occurs in the pregnancy-problem found in Durga. There is no mechanism of detecting such a kind of disease in India. If there was a mechanism, operation could have saved her life. But, it is a complicated process," Zoo Director AK Patra said.
After Durga's death, one tigress Tejaswini (2 years and 10 months) and two tigers Sugreev (14) and Shiva (3) are surviving in the zoo. Pair Tejaswini and Shiva were brought from Bannerghatta National Park near Bangalore since Durga and Sugreev's mating attempts proved unsuccessful since 2013.
Durga and Sugreev were brought from Shimoga district of Karnataka. The post-mortem report was sent to Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly on Tuesday. Patra said that the report from the Institute will likely be received by December 19.
As part of zoo's adoption scheme for inmates, Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra had adopted Durga for a year in 2011. last September, Central Coalfields limited (CCl) had come forward and taken Durga's responsibility for a period of five years. The organisation has to bear financial expenses required in maintaining a wild animal. It will pay a yearly amount of Rs2.75 lakh to Birsa Zoo. Patra said that they will request CCl to adopt Tejaswini under the same scheme. "We have drafted a letter for CCl and hope to receive their consent," he added.
Tigers usually survive for 15 to 16 years. Notably, in the last seven years, eight tigers have lost their lives at Birsa Zoo. As of now, the officials are ensuring all the available medical facilities to the remaining tigers.