LUCKNOW: Amid the growing threat of avian influenza, or bird flu, an Asiatic lion ‘Pataudi’ died at the Kanpur zoo on Thursday morning, days after being brought in for treatment following the death of a tigress Shakti from the virus.
Pataudi was brought to Kanpur zoo from Ashfaq Ullah Khan Zoological Park in Gorakhpur on May 11.
Meanwhile, the Kanpur Zoo authorities sent the visceral samples of the feline to National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal for testing.
The state wildlife authorities had already shut the three zoos, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Gorakhpur, along with the Etawah Lion Safari till May 20 as a precautionary measure amid the bird flu scare. Moreover, additional samples from animals have been collected and sent for testing.
As per informed sources, Pataudi, aged 15, was brought to Etawah Lion Safari from Junagarh in Gujarat in September 2019. After spending two years at the safari, he was relocated to Gorakhpur Zoo in 2021.
The wildlife authorities claimed that the lion was undergoing treatment for pancreatic and hepatic infections. For the last two days, the feline had stopped consuming food and was surviving only on water. He was administered intravenous medication, and a thorough examination was conducted by veterinary doctors on Wednesday.
Pataudi was quarantined on suspicion of bird flu, and the Kanpur Zoo authorities have been ensuring continuous sanitisation of the entire premises. According to Dr. Nasir, who led a team of four veterinary doctors from the state animal husbandry department, Pataudi had consumed about a kilogram of chicken upon his arrival at Kanpur Zoo on May 11. However, he stopped eating anything from Tuesday onwards.
While the Kanpur Zoo authorities are awaiting Pataudi’s test reports, veterinary experts from Bareilly’s Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) have expressed concerns that he might have contracted bird flu. His remains will be cremated following safety norms after final confirmation from the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal.
Kanpur Zoo ranger Naved Ikram stated that all other animals were currently healthy and under strict veterinary observation. He added that everyone entering the wildlife enclosures had been instructed to wear PPE kits as a preventive measure