Ailing Asiatic lion Pataudi dies amid bird flu scare

Kanpur: Ailing Asiatic lion Pataudi, brought from Gorakhpur Zoo to Kanpur for treatment on May 11, died on Thursday morning. Pataudi was shifted to Kanpur after the death of tigress Shakti at Gorakhpur Zoo on May 7 due to bird flu.The vets have expressed suspicion that the 15-year-old big cat too might have been hit by the avian influenza and his samples have been sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, the results of which are expected in a day or two.Officials said 13 samples from other animals in Kanpur Zoo have also been sent for tests, even as the zoo has been closed till May 20.Sources said as soon as test reports of tigress Shakti confirmed that she was suffering from bird flu, Pataudi, who also fell ill, was shifted to Kanpur for treatment."Pataudi wasn't taking any food for the past two days and only drinking water. It was being administered medicines through an IV," said veterinarian Dr Nasir who along with four other people were treating the lion.He said when the lion was brought to the zoo on May 11, the big cat ate a kilo of chicken. The feline stopped eating entirely from Tuesday. It was undergoing treatment for infections in pancreas and liver.On Wednesday, a team of doctors from the animal husbandry department also arrived to examine the lion which had been quarantined.Sources said as soon as bird flu was confirmed in tigress Shakti, Pataudi's medication was also increased. Ranger Naved Ikram said the behaviour and health of other inmates of Kanpur Zoo are being monitored."So far all are healthy. All have been instructed not to enter the enclosures without PPE kits. The zoo is also being sanitized continuously," he said.He said Pataudi will be cremated in an incinerator with all necessary protocols.Pataudi was born at the Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh. On Sep 26, 2019, it was brought to the Etawah Lion Safari at the age of 8. In Feb 2021, the big cat was shifted to Ashfaq Ullah Zoological Park in Gorakhpur.In captivity, lions can typically live for 15-20 years, but some have been known to live up to 30 years. In the wild, their lifespan is shorter, averaging 10-14 years for females and even less for males, often due to various factors like territorial fights and human encroachment.