Tigress dies in Aurangabad zoo, swab sent for Covid-19 test

Tigress dies in Aurangabad (Maharashtra): A six and half-year-old tigress, named Kareena, died at the Siddharth Garden Zoo here early on Wednesday morning after a kidney ailment, officials said.

Unwell for a few days, the tigress had stopped eating for the past 3-4 days and died around 5 a.m.

"As per the advisory of Central Zoo Authority three months ago, we have sent its swab samples for a Covid-19 test and the results are awaited," a zoo official told media persons.

Born at the same zoo, Kareena was admitted to the veterinary hospital attached to the premises with top vets and Animal Husbandry Department teams overseeing the treatment.

After the big cat's apparent loss of appetite, the opinion of experts from the College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences in Parbhani was also sought.

The zoo earlier had 12 tigers of which two were shifted to Mumbai's Veermata Jijibai Udyan in February.

A four-year-old tigress amed 'Nadia' had succumbed to Covid-19 in the Bronx Zoo in New York, while a white tigress had died in New Delhi zoo in late April but had tested negative.

In view of these developments, all the tigers at Siddharth Garden Zoo and their caretakers were also screened but found to be unaffected.