Bishnoi sabha members visit zoo after deer deaths
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, August 21
Two days after three female deer died mysteriously at Bir Talab zoo here, a team of the Akhil Bhartiya Jeev Raksha Bishnoi Sabha, Punjab, today visited the zoo to take stock of the situation. The Bishnoi community works for the conservation of wildlife, especially providing protection to deer.
The team led by sabha president RD Bishnoi pointed out certain anomalies, including absence of a doctor at the veterinary hospital inside the zoo.
Bishnoi said the matter was serious as similar deaths had been reported from the zoo on two previous occasions. The members visited the deer safari and interacted with zoo officials regarding the sudden deaths.
“Our aim is to preserve wildlife and can even sacrifice our lives to protect deer and other animals. It is deeply disheartening to know three deer died all of a sudden at the zoo,” said Bishnoi.
“We are taking the matter seriously as deer deaths have been reported in the zoo on two previous occasions. We will see whether the number of deaths was higher or not and try to identify the reasons before plugging loopholes.”
As there was no doctor at the veterinary hospital inside the zoo, the government must appoint a full-time veterinarian to ensure prompt treatment to sick and injured animals without having to wait for medical attention from outside,” he said.
Bathinda Divisional Forest Officer Swaran Singh said: “Adequate feed was provided to animals. The exact cause of death would be known after the post-mortem report, which is expected in a day or two. It seems deer were suffering from fever and succumbed.”
Bq
Appoint vet
“The government must appoint a full-time veterinarian at the zoo to ensure prompt treatment to sick and injured animals,”
— RD Bishnoi, sabha president
