Rare Animals Dying in Indian Zoo

N E W   D E L H I, India, Aug. 2 -- Thirteen rare tigers are killed by“stress.” A crocodile is found decapitated, its head discoveredin a rhino’s cage. A deer dies mysteriously.

A series of strange occurrences recently has left a range ofanimals dead at India’s showcase zoo. But the deaths of 13 of thezoo’s 56 most prized beasts, the rare Royal Bengal tigers, havecaused the biggest uproar: Lawmakers in Parliament mourned thetigers Monday, and India’s Supreme Court has called for aninvestigation.

Nine of the 13 big cats that died between June 23 and July 28were white tigers, mutated versions of the Royal Bengal. Only 61white tigers are believed to exist today, all in zoos around theworld.

Explanations of what happened at Nandankanan Zoological Parkvary — from stress and disease, to improper care and too fewresources at the zoo.

Zoo Fed Tigers Decomposed Meat

Indian Environment and Forests Minister T.R. Balu said thetigers were sick due to a parasite and under stress, a conditionexacerbated by a cyclone in November 1999 that ravaged the zoo andkilled more than 10,000 people in the eastern state of Orissa. Thezoo is located in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa’s capital. Activists,though, have blamed rotten meat or the use of the wrong medicine.

When the tigers began dying in June — nine in one night — thenation focused on the treatment of captive animals in a countrythat has no tradition of animal rights. Most state governmentscannot afford to run zoos properly, and Orissa is one of India’spoorest regions.

Newspaper investigations have shown that zoos throughout Indiadon’t have enough veterinarians on call, and that most zoo workersare unskilled laborers uneducated in animal biology.

After the cyclone, the zoo began withholding the animals’ foodonce a week to cut down on food costs. Investigators have beenunable to obtain samples of medicine reportedly given to theanimals.

Zoo authorities initially said the 13 tigers died of sleepingsickness, a disease carried by tsetse flies. However, tests by thegovernment’s Pathological Laboratory in Calcutta showed that thedeaths were caused by eating decomposed and contaminated cow meat,an official at the laboratory said on condition of anonymity.