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Alipore Zoo Mourns Passing of Two Beloved Tigresses
11 Sep
Summary
- Two tigresses, Payal and Rupa, died within 24 hours at Alipore Zoo
- Payal, 17, and Rupa, 21, died of old age-related issues
- Central Zoo Authority launched investigation into the deaths
The Alipore Zoo in West Bengal is currently in a state of mourning following the tragic deaths of two of its beloved tigress residents, Payal and Rupa, within a span of just 24 hours. The close timing of the deaths has raised suspicions, leading the Central Zoo Authority to launch a high-level investigation into the matter.
Payal, a 17-year-old striped tigress who was brought to the Alipore Zoo from Nandankanan in Odisha in 2016, passed away on Tuesday morning. According to zoo officials, Payal had been in failing health for some time, suffering from various age-related ailments that had severely impacted her mobility and appetite.
The very next day, the zoo suffered another devastating loss with the passing of Rupa, a 21-year-old white tigress who was born and raised at the Alipore facility. Rupa, the daughter of a striped tigress named 'Krishna' and a white tiger named 'Anirban', was also struggling with the effects of old age, including paralysis in one of her legs.
While the zoo authorities have attributed both deaths to natural causes related to old age, the Central Zoo Authority has established an investigation committee to look into the matter further. The bodies of the two tigresses have been sent for post-mortem examinations at the Alipore veterinary hospital, with a team of three doctors conducting the procedures and recording them on video to ensure transparency. The exact cause of death will be determined after a viscera examination.
