Bhubaneswar: One day after the death of seven years old female elephant ‘Kamala’ at Nandankanan Zoological Park, another female pachyderm ‘Gouri’ breathed her last, Friday night. Both the animals were said to be suffering from ailments caused by herpes virus.
With the death of ‘Gouri’, the total number of elephants dead in the last 26 days has reached four, raising concern for the NZP authorities. The other two departed elephants are Juli and Chandan.
After the death of ‘Kamala’ Thursday, special attention was given to ‘Gouri’ considering the symptoms of herpes virus infection. Her body’s colour had changed. And the tongue had turned red. And she had been dozing most of the time. Her treatment for Herpes virus started Friday, however, her condition started deteriorating from 1.30pm. She was then administrated with Acyclovir injection, an injection used as a preventive drug for herpes virus. The veterinary experts were to give another dose at 12 am and a technical and health committee was scheduled to visit the zoo Saturday.
But ‘Gouri’ gave in at about 10pm. the number of elephants in the zoo has come down to four and they are Prema, Basanti, Heera and calf Mama.
The NZP authority has recently got a lot of stick from animal lovers and experts for the incidents of elephant deaths. They have held the NZP authorities squarely responsible for this.
In 2009, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) had issued a circular that prohibited zoos across the country from keeping elephants. The circular even says that the CZA would bear the transportation cost if any elephant needs to be relocated.
So, the elephants could have been shifted to Similipal, Satkosia or any other location but instead of doing that, the NZP authorities kept them in chain. And this has proved fatal for them, allege animal lovers, demanding an inquiry and action against the officials responsible for keeping the jumbos in chain, instead of obeying the circular.
Sources said that the zoo has increased the fund for ‘Centre for Wildlife Health’ from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Yet the authorities are not able to keep the animals in good health. Now these officials are trying to get out of the situation by shifting the blame onto the herpes virus.
Animal lovers have also accused the zoo authorities of negligence. Proper food and necessary exercise for elephants are much more important than taking measures for keeping these animals free from Herpes virus infection.
According to experts, proper diets help proper growth of elephants. These animals have a particular liking for four types of tree branches as their food. These trees are Banayan, Peepal, Ash and ‘Raji’. The leaves of these trees are a good source of nutrition for these animals. But in Nandankanan zoo, the authorities are giving only Banayan and Peepal leaves to them. This should be investigated immediately and properly and exemplary action should be taken against the responsible officials, they demanded.
PNN