New Delhi: An eight-year-old Bengal tiger died in the Delhi zoo on Friday due to "multiple organ failure", officials said. Rama died around 1 pm.
The zoo has seen deaths of 245 animals from April 2018 to June 2019. It has also lost the entire population of around 10 animal species, including chinkara, water monitor lizard, soft-shelled turtle and ostrich, in recent times.
Recently, the zoo's last cape buffalo died allegedly after eating plastic.
The officials said the autopsy revealed Rama died due to "multiple organ failures". A team of veterinary specialists from the Delhi government and Chhatbir Zoo, Chandigarh, conducted the postmortem on the premises of the zoo.
"The cause of death was multiple organ degenerative lesion septicaemia lesion leading to pulmonary collapse to be correlated with histopathological findings," the Delhi zoo said in a statement.
The tissues of the organs have been sent to IVRI (Indian Veterinary Research Institute) for further examination, it said.
The average lifespan of a tiger is around 14-16 years, experts said.
Earlier, a blood report indicated very high phosphorous content and creatinine levels in Rama impacted the functioning of its kidneys.
The tiger, which was brought from the Mysore zoo in 2014, had been unwell since July 27 and had not been eating enough. It had become very weak, another official said.
A team of veterinary officers from Mathura and Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, had been treating the animal. The zoo authorities had also called Dr N P Singh from Chhatbir Zoo, Chandigarh, who is an expert in tiger treatment.
The animal had attacked a zookeeper, Fateh Singh, on September 10 when he went to fill its water bowl.
Central Zoo Authority (CZA) member secretary S P Yadav had on Friday morning constituted a three-member committee to "inquire into the circumstances leading to the ill-health" of the Bengal tiger, according to the officials.
The panel has also been asked to review the hygiene status of the Delhi zoo, especially of animal enclosures, and submit its report in three days.
With the death of Rama, the zoo now has nine tigers -- two Bengal tigers and seven white tigers.
Animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi said the tiger's death "hints at negligence on the part of the zoo administration".
"It is the duty of the veterinary officer to keep a continuous watch on the animals. Had the zoo administration conducted regular blood tests and medical checkups, they would have come to know about the tiger's kidney failure," she said.
Maulekhi demanded an inquiry be ordered in to the tiger's death, saying "foul play cannot be ruled out".
According to official sources, a veterinary officer of the Delhi zoo, who was found guilty of "negligence in animal care, inspection and maintenance of records" by a high-level panel, has been suspended by the Environment Ministry.
