15-year-old gaur dies of age-related complications at Delhi zoo

The animal was brought to Delhi from Mysore Zoo in 2014 and was under close observation for the past few days in an enclosure for animals under treatment

A 15-year-old male gaur at the Delhi zoo died in the early hours of Sunday due to age-related complications, officials said. The animal had been brought to Delhi from Mysore Zoo in 2014 and was under close observation for the past few days inside an enclosure meant for animals under treatment.

An alleged image of two elephants at the Delhi Zoo taking shelter under a shed at the enclosure were shared widely on social media. The zoo said the elephants were well cared for and the chains were precautionary. (X)

“The animal was being kept in the care cell and monitored by our veterinary team. It passed away due to natural causes associated with old age. The gaur had made a significant contribution to the breeding of the species here. Around 75% of the 15 gaurs currently at the Delhi Zoo are his progeny,” Sanjeet Kumar, Delhi zoo director, said.

Kumar added that samples from the deceased animal have been sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly for further examination and confirmation of the cause of death.

Native to the Indian subcontinent and parts of southeast Asia, the gaur is the largest extant bovine species and is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It is classified as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List due to habitat loss and poaching.

Outrage over animal treatment amid rising heat

With the temperatures in the city remaining high in the past days, alleged images of two elephants at the Delhi Zoo, in chains and taking shelter under a shed at the enclosure have been shared widely on social media. Kumar, however, said the elephants were well cared for and the chains were precautionary.

“They are kept under a cement-concrete shed as well as under trees. There is also an earth and sand mound provided for them,” Kumar said, adding that the elephants are bathed three times a day, and are taken by their caretakers to both a mud pond and a water-filled cement pool.

“Whenever Heera, our male elephant, enters the pre-musth stage, we take additional precautions,” he said.

On the issue of chains, Kumar added, “A light, long chain is used purely for the safety of both the mahawat and the elephant.”