Fourth animal, a leopard, dies at lion safari in Aug
According to the veterinarian of the Safari, the leopard had received serious injuries on the frontal lobe and face when the animal was transported and brought to Safari
A leopard rescued from Bijnor on August 26, died within five days of being brought down to the Lion Safari in Etawah, late on Thursday night.
This is the fourth death in the Safari in August alone. Earlier, another leopard rescued on August 12 from Bijnor had passed away on August 19, a lion cub on August 14 and a bear, Kuno, on August 12.
According to the veterinarian of the Safari, the leopard had received serious injuries on the frontal lobe and face when the animal was transported and brought to Safari, said the director of the Safari, Deeksha Bhandari.
The leopard had been brought from Dayalpur village of Nagina range in Bijnor district.
“We were sure the right treatment would heal the injuries, and all was going well until August 30 when the animal began to have seizures. It began to froth at the mouth, and it became kind of listless,” she said, adding that a team of veterinarians – Jaipur zoo chief vet Arvind Mathur, Mohd Nasir from Kanpur zoo and Robin Yadav, the vet of the Safari – began the treatment of brain injuries.
“Though critical, the leopard showed signs of improvement during the day, but its condition deteriorated around 8 pm on August 31 and it passed away.”
A team of doctors performed the autopsy and the body has been sent to IVRI, Bareilly for an autopsy, said officials.
The Etawah Safari has lost six cubs this year – five of lioness Sona in quick succession – between July 18 and August 14 - and the Safari drew widespread criticism. Also, a bear, Kuno, died on August 12.
At present there are 19 lions and lionesses in the lion-breeding centre of the Safari. Two lionesses Jessica and Sona have given birth to 11 cubs of which six have died.
The leopard, like the previous one, had been caught after it attacked a passer-by and brought to the Safari for rehabilitation.