Wounded Wayanad tiger recouperating in city zoo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The tiger, which was caught from Wayanad and brought to the city zoo last week, is recovering slowly.
When brought to the zoo, it could not even stand on the feet and take water from the pitcher in the cage. Wounded and frail, the tiger, estimated to be 14 years old, could barely move and the zoo staff were sceptical about the chances of its survival. The tiger has been diagnosed with a severe haemoprotozoan infection and the wounds were infested with maggots. In the absence of a proper quarantine facility, the authorities took special care to check the spread of infection.

"The tiger's body which was covered with wounds and some of them were really deep," said Dr Jacob Alexander, zoo veterinarian. "We are recovering it step by step. Initially, the tiger went through a cooling time as we gave it enough rest before beginning the removal of maggots from his wounds," said the doctor.

Now it is on a steady diet of 8kg beef and antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medicines and vitamin supplements are being administered intravenously. The zoo authorities are hoping to revive him just like in 2015 when they brought back to life a captured wild tiger, again from Wayanad. His lungs were infected rendering him incapable of hunting. The authorities later named him George who has now become a hefty animal and a prize exhibit in the zoo.

"The tiger is recovering steadily. It has now started taking food and we are monitoring his recovery," said the director of museum and zoo, Abu S.

The tiger was captured by forest department officials after it had attacked three forest watchers at Anapanthi, near Pulpally in Wayanad. The tiger had preyed on several domestic animals causing terror in villages like Cheeyambam and Anapanthi.