Medical board for tiger health

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The Telegraph, Calcutta, Thursday, November 17, 2005

Link:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051117/asp/siliguri/story_5484492.asp

 

Medical board for tiger health

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Alipurduar, Nov. 16: The eight tigers brought to South Khayerbari

Tiger Rescue Centre will have a medical board to supervise their

diet.

 

The big cats, which reached the centre on Sunday in an emaciated

condition, belonged to a circus in Jharkhand earlier. Forest

officials at the centre constituted a medical board yesterday to

supervise the process of healing them gradually. The board consists

of one vet from Jaldapara, two from Falakata and the vet of

Madarihat-Birpara block. The forest department has also decided to

appoint a permanent beat officer at the rescue centre to take proper

care of the animals.

 

This year, in September, 11 tigers were brought to the temporary

centre at Holong and later shifted to the permanent shelter in South

Khayerbari, which was inaugurated by forest minister Jogesh Burman

on November 5. Two of them have been sent to the zoo in Darjeeling.

 

With the arrival of the eight new tigers, the number of animals at

the centre has gone up to 17, which is two more than the shelter's

capacity.

 

The recent love tryst of a tigress Jamuna with one of her male

counterparts has left the officials worried and the present

overcrowding has further added to the creases on their brows.

 

The department is eager to shift another couple of tigers to a zoo

to ease the pressure on officials here. The newly arrived tigers are

lodged in the cages in which they have been brought here. The cells

of these big cats are still under construction.

 

Divisional forest officer of Cooch Behar Manindra Biswas said: " The

eight tigers brought in from the circus are in poor health due to

long neglect. We have constituted a medical board and will appoint a

beat officer to look after the animals. The tigers are aged between

12 and 13 years and it is expected that within 15 days they will be

in a much better condition. " At present P.P. Sinha, the keeper of

Olympic Circus, is staying at the centre and looking after the

animals on a contractual basis.

 

Conservator of forests, (wildlife), north, P.T. Bhutia said: " We

hope to complete the night cells within a month so the tigers can

then be shifted there. "

 

Jaldapara vet and member of the medical board Proloy Mandal

said: " We have started giving vitamins and calcium supplements to

the animals and are constantly monitoring their condition. After 15

days we will examine their blood and then vaccinate them. "