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Three more deaths at Nandankanan zoo

M I Khan in Bhubaneswar

Two spotted deer and a rare mongoose have died at the Nandankanan biological park and zoo in the last two days.

This follows last month's deaths of 13 tigers, one crocodile and a deer at the zoo.

Sources said that both deer were in the same cage. While one was found dead by animal-keepers two days back, the second was found dead on Saturday evening.

The mongoose was found dead in its cage the same day.

Zoo director Vinod Kumar told rediff.com that the deer were suffering from acute tuberculosis, while the mongoose died due to old age.

"The exact cause of their deaths will be known after we get the post-mortem report," he said.

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

Kumar said that other three deer may not survive for more than a month or two. "The spread of tuberculosis among the deer in the zoo is not exceptional. There is no zoo where the deer are not suffering from this disease," he added.

Chief conservator of wildlife S K Patnaik told rediff.com that he had only read a small news item in local dailies about the deer and mongoose deaths.

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