In a shocking incident a Tiger, named Shiva, who was ill for the last four days in Ranchi's Birsa Munda Zoological Garden, died late on Thursday night.
Birsa Agriculture University (BAU) Veterinary Dr Praveen, who was treating the Tiger, informed that the tiger died due to fever and infection. “After the death of the tiger, the suspicion of Corona infection in the zoo has started deepening. After the death of the tiger, its samples have been sent to Bareilly for coronavirus test,” he added.
Dr Praveen informed that the infection has been found in the Tiger’s kidney and lungs in the blood test. The Zoo Director YK Das said that due to lack of kit, his Covid test could not be done earlier.
“After the kit arrived on Friday, the Tiger’s swab samples have been sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly so that his Covid test can be confirmed. The IVRI blood sample and lung organ have also been sent along with the swab. If there was no Covid then what is the reason for his death. However, his report has come negative in the investigation with the Human Rapid Antigen Kit,” said Das.
Dr Praveen said that Shiva was having 103-4 fever for the last four days. After giving medicine on Tuesday, he was cured but after that he gave up eating. It is the nature of the animal that after getting sick, it stops eating. He said that these symptoms also occur in Covid but the biggest problem is that it is not yet known which strain of Covid is in animals. He said that till now there is no clear information about its symptoms in animals.
A team of 4 doctors has been formed to find out the cause of Shiva's death. His post-mortem will be done under their supervision. Its preparation has been started in Birsa Zoo. His last rites will be performed only after the post-mortem.
Shiva was born in 2011 in Karnataka. In 2014, it was brought to Ranchi from Bannerghata Biological Park in Bangalore. Since then he was living in Birsa Zoo of Ranchi. Zoo Director YK Das said that there was a plan to send Shiva to another zoo and bring a white tiger from there under the Animal Exchange Programme, but his health deteriorated. He said that the average age of a tiger is 17-18 years, but due to better food in the zoo, their age increases by 2 years.