Three Big Cats Die at Tirupati Zoo Within a Month

The Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park in Tirupati has reported the deaths of three big cats - two leopards and a jaguar - within a month, with zoo authorities attributing the deaths to old age and related health complications.

The first to die was Lava, a 16-year-old male jaguar, which succumbed to multiple organ failure on July 28. Lava had been battling cancer since 2017 and had been under veterinary care for the condition. The jaguar was brought to Tirupati from Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park on January 1, 2013, as part of an animal exchange programme.

The second death was reported on August 15, when Satya, a 17-year-old male leopard, died due to age-related ailments and other health complications. A post-mortem examination found signs of respiratory failure and severe anaemia, according to zoo officials.

Just 12 days later, on August 27, the zoo lost another leopard. Vimuda, a 16-year-old female leopard, died following health problems linked to old age. She had been rescued from the Gandikota region of Kadapa district and was shifted to the Tirupati zoo on September 19, 2014.

Post-mortem findings revealed that Vimuda had suffered from fluid accumulation in the lungs and severe gastritis.

Zoo authorities said all three deaths were linked to the animals’ advanced age and underlying health conditions. The bodies were disposed of following the prescribed procedures in the presence of officials, they added.

The deaths of the two leopards and one jaguar in less than a month have brought renewed focus on the specialised care and medical attention required for ageing wild animals living in captivity.