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Bengal tiger latest death at Surabaya Zoo
A Bengal white tiger has become the latest fatality at Surabaya Zoo, after a string of animal deaths, including a lion that was found dead after its head was caught by a steel cable in its cage a few weeks ago
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Bengal white tiger has become the latest fatality at Surabaya Zoo, after a string of animal deaths, including a lion that was found dead after its head was caught by a steel cable in its cage a few weeks ago.
Zoo veterinarian Liang Kaspe said the 17-year-old female Bengal tiger named Chandrika died on Thursday at around 8:20 p.m. while undergoing treatment.
'The tiger died abruptly, but had been sick for some time. It had undergone intensive treatment over the past few months,' Liang told reporters on Friday.
He added the tiger died in quarantine and that it had outlived the average life span of Bengal tigers, which is 15 years.
'Based on a necropsy conducted on the carcass, the tiger had tongue lacerations and was missing most of her teeth. She was also suffering from a lung infection,' said Liang.
Surabaya Zoo spokesman Agus Supangkat said the deaths of three animals in the past three months did not include the 84 animals that were already old and sick. They include a barking deer, a Bawean deer and a Komodo dragon.
'The three dead animals were still young. The Komodo, for instance was found dead when it was just four-years-old, while the two deer were only seven-years-old when they died,' said Agus.
A total of six animals died at the zoo between January and Feb. 3 this year. The Komodo and Bawean deer both died on Feb. 1.
Earlier, a four-year-old male gnu, or wildebeest, was found dead on Jan. 4. Based on necropsy results, the African animal died of stomach disease.
The following week, on Jan. 7, Michael a male lion was found dead hanging from a steel cable in its cage. It was choked by the cable used to open and close the cage. Then, a six-month-old mountain goat was also found dead after fighting with a larger mountain goat.
In response to the string of animal deaths at the zoo, Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini said her administration would invite Surabaya's Airlangga University' School of Veterinary to help conduct necropsies and research as part of an investigation into the animal deaths at the zoo.
'We will also install more surveillance cameras to facilitate the management of the zoo,' said Rismaharini.
