8-yr-old Bengal tiger in Delhi zoo dead

New Delhi, September 20 

An eight-year-old Bengal tiger died in the Delhi zoo on Friday due to “kidney failure”, said officials. 

Rama died around 1 pm. The zoo has seen deaths of 245 animals from April 2018 to June 2019. It has also lost the entire population of around 10 animal species, including chinkara, water monitor lizard, soft-shelled turtle and ostrich, in recent times.

Recently, the zoo's last cape buffalo died allegedly after eating plastic.

The officials said the autopsy revealed the big cat died due to "multiple organ failure". A team of veterinary specialists from the Delhi government and Chhatbir Zoo, Chandigarh, conducted the postmortem in the premises of the zoo.

The average lifespan of a tiger is around 20 years in captivity.

Earlier, a blood report indicated very high phosphorous content and creatinine levels impacted the functioning of kidneys of tiger Rama.

The tiger, which was brought from the Mysore zoo in 2014, had been unwell since July 27 and had not been eating enough. It had become very weak, another official said.

A team of veterinary officers from Mathura and Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, had been treating the animal. The zoo authorities had also called Dr N P Singh from Chhatbir Zoo, Chandigarh, who is an expert in tiger treatment.

The animal had attacked a zookeeper, Fateh Singh, on September 10 when he went to fill its water bowl.

Central Zoo Authority (CZA) member secretary S P Yadav had on Friday morning constituted a three-member committee to "inquire into the circumstances leading to the ill-health" of the Bengal tiger, according to the officials. —  PTI