Pune, 15 July

As many as 14 deer have died over the last four to five days in the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park in Pune due to unidentified reasons, officials said on Tuesday.

A Pune Municipal Corporation veterinary officer said authorities are examining various possibilities including infection through the deer feed to identify the cause behind the fatalities.

He said medical reports are awaited to understand the details.

"Bucks are drying every day since the last four to five days. On Tuesday, no fresh fatality was reported. The death toll so far is 14," a civic official said without elaborating.

Maharashtra Zoo Authority (MZA) officials visited the zoo on Tuesday for an investigation.

Civic officials said samples have been collected from the deer enclosures and sent to a laboratory by the Department of Disease Investigation and MZA.

PMC veterinary officer Ghanshyam Pawar said authorities have been trying to identify the cause behind the deaths of the deer right from the first day.

"Various officials from different departments have visited the zoo. Samples of the deer feed are being tested to determine whether it has spread any infection. The exact cause behind the deaths will be known in the next two to three days when medical reports become available," Pawar added.

The Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, commonly known as Katraj Zoo, is managed by the Pune Municipal Corporation.

The zoo has a collection of reptiles, birds, and mammals, including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, sambhars, barking deer, black bucks, monkeys, elephants, and a lion.