Paralysed Himalayan black bear at Indore zoo euthanised

A Himalayan black bear at the Indore zoo, which had been paralysed for the last three years, was euthanised on Saturday.

A Himalayan black bear at the Indore zoo, which had been paralysed for the last three years, was euthanised on Saturday.

A zoo official sedates Chotu, the himalayan black bear at Indore Zoo before euthanising him in Indore.(Shankar Mourya/ HT Photo)

The decision to euthanise the Chhotu, as the bear was called, was taken by a team of doctors and Central Zoo Authority on Friday after the zoo doctors lost hope of improvement in his condition.

“We had invited the best of the doctors for his treatment. Many attempts had been made in last three years, but we could not cure or lessen the pain of the animal,” said zoo in-charge Dr Uttam Yadav. The animal has crossed the average life span of a Himalayan Bear, he added.

The zoo authorities have decided to erect a model from his bones, a first for the Indore zoo.

Pandits begin chanting mantras before zoo officials try to sedate Chotu. (Shankar Mourya/ HT Photo)

“He was amongst the rare animals we have in the zoo. We had sent a letter to the forest officials and the CZA (Cenral Zoo Authority) requesting them to bury him as we could utilise his skeleton for reconstructing a model for the museum. Luckily it got an approval,” said Nihar, a volunteer of Animal Rescue and Protection Front (ARPF).