Wildlife Institute team probes death of tiger cubs

TNN | Feb 1, 2012, 11.10PM IST KANPUR: A two-member team from Wildlife Institute of India (WII) visited Kanpur zoo on Wednesday to ascertain why the tiger cubs died of kidney failure. The team had been sent by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), which is probing the matter as to how did the three tiger cubs born to Tigress Trusha died of a similar disease. The cubs were born on May 30 last year but died one after the other. The post-mortem examinations of all the three cubs had one thing in common. The cause of death was renal failure. The team members inspected the enclosures of the tiger cubs. Pradeep K Malik and Pradeep Chandra Tyagi, the two scientists from WII inspected Kanpur zoo and stated the conditions to be satisfactory. Talking to mediapersons on Wednesday evening, the two scientists mentioned that they were satisfied with the condition of the enclosures. There are ample chances of improvement, they added. The WII scientists also saw the IVRI reports which stated that the tiger cubs had died due to kidney failure. It was to be probed how the cubs contracted the disease. "We will talk to scientists in Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) to know why the cubs contracted infection in the kidneys. We will seek a detailed report from them," Malik said. Zoo director K Praveen Rao said that the scientists from WII, Dehradun, saw the enclosure of the tiger cubs and suggested that improvements can be made. The two scientists spoke to the zoo veterinarians and discussed with them how the cubs contracted infection in the kidneys. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Wildlife-Institute-team-probes-death-of-tiger-cubs/articleshow/11718332.cms