Paralysed white tiger dies at Pune zoo

Representational image

Pune: Fourteen-year-old Kaif, the ailing white tiger at the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park here died yesterday, reducing the number of wild cats housed in the facility to five. 

According Zoo authorities, feline experts and veterinary doctors made all the efforts to cure Kaif after the male tiger suffered paralysis four months ago but could not save the male tiger.

For last two months, Kaif even gave up on food and was on saline.

"Usually after 14 years, metabolic bone diseases develop among these animals and it happens due to the softening of bones. Due to this condition, the animal suffers from arthritis and starts limping and that affects their spinal cord, which may lead to paralysis," said Rajkumar Jadhav, the Zoo Director. 

He said this condition is common in white tigers. 

Kaif was brought from Aurangabad Zoo two years ago. 

As per Zoo officials, after the death of Kaif, the number of tigers in the facility has come down to five which comprise one white tiger and four Bengal tigers.