Tigers kept in ‘fasting’ at central zoo

Published On: May 13, 2023 02:45 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, May 13: A total of six tigers including four males and two females are kept at the central zoo in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur.

Ganesh Koirala, the Information Officer of the zoo, said that feeding a tiger at the rate of five kg of meat per day would cost about Rs 5.6 million per year.

According to him, there are currently six tigers in the zoo including 18-year-old Bange tiger, 13-year-old Maharaja tiger, 12-year-old Bagaura tiger, 9-year-old Pratap tiger, 8-year-old Jagati (female) tiger and a 5-year-old Maharani (female) tiger.

Koirala said, "The number of tigers added in the zoo is beyond its capacity. As more and more tigers are added, the financial burden is also increased. This is the reason why we have kept the tiger on 'fasting' every Saturday. They only drink water on that day.”

A five-year-old tiger named Maharani attacked 42-year-old Gangadevi Chand in the Khapti Nala area of Kanchanpur Belauri Municipality-8 Pachui village on April 21. Chand was killed by a tiger attack.

After the death of Chand from the tiger attack, the Division Forest Office Kanchanpur, National Park Office, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepal Army, the Fund's Shuklaphanta Conservation Office and other agencies took action and took the tiger under control and brought it to the zoo on May 23.

The Maharani is currently under quarantine. In the beginning, even though he was not eating, he is getting back to normal after a few days.

At present Pratap (male) tiger and Jagati (female) tiger are kept together, while the Maharani tiger in quarantine under the supervision of the technical team. She is planned to be kept together with the Maharaja tiger after some improvement.