‘Parasitic infection contributes to factors causing tiger deaths’
BAREILLY A tiger that was found dead in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Wednesday had ‘extreme parasitic infection’, said experts of Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly.
Experts found nine different parasites from the animal’s intestines, muscles and heart. The finding is no less than a shock, they said.
“Such extreme parasitic infection is not very common. Our experts are trying to deduce the cause behind this infection,” said Dr RK Singh, director, IVRI.
The said adult male tiger, which was around two years old, was found dead near a canal in Barahi range of the PTR forest. The carcass was sent to the IVRI for a post-mortem examination, where it was examined for parasites by Dr PS Banerjee and Dr Hira Ram of the parasitology department.
“We have recovered five kinds of round worms and four kinds of flat worms from the specimen collected from the animal. Besides, the extent of infection was found to be alarming,” said Dr Banerjee.
IVRI experts had found an average three parasites from the bodies of tigers after post-mortem examination of the big cats that died earlier. Three parasites were found from the body of a tiger in September last year. In July and August, post-mortem of examination of two tigers revealed two parasites each.
“Prima facie, it seems that the tiger was very weak which made him susceptible to so many parasites,” said Dr AK Sharma, in-charge of the centre for wildlife at IVRI.