File photo of a male Blackbuck.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
At least 10 blackbucks have died at a zoo in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur due to a “bacterial infection,” an official said on Sunday (December 7, 2025).
The deaths were reported between December 1 and December 6 at Tata Steel Zoological Park (TSZP).
The last death was reported on Saturday (December 6).
“Ten blackbucks have died to date in the park. The carcass was sent to Ranchi Veterinary College for examination and to ascertain the exact cause of the death. It seems to be a bacterial infection,” TSZP deputy director Dr. Naim Akhtar told PTI.
Assistant professor at Veterinary Pathology of Ranchi Veterinary College (RVC), Dr. Pragya Lakra, said the postmortem has been carried out.
“It is suspected to be H.S. (Haemorrhagic Septicaemia), which is a bacterial disease caused by Pasteurella species of bacteria. The disease is also known as Pasteurellosis,” Dr. Lakra told PTI.
She said the further investigation into it would be carried out on Monday (December 8). “After completing the further process, we can confirm the disease,” she added.
The TSZP, which houses around 370 animals, including avians, had 18 blackbucks.
With 10 deaths, only eight blackbucks remained in the zoo, the official said.
Dr. Akhtar said the first death was reported on December 1. Later, the sample was sent to Ranchi veterinary college to ascertain the cause of death.
“We helped send the sample to Ranchi Veterinary College at the request of the zoo authority. We have informed the Central Zoo Authority regarding the deaths,” said Jamshedpur Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Saba Alam.
Dr. M.K. Gupta, the chairman of Ranchi Veterinary College’s Pathology Department, said Pasteurella is a bacterial disease which spreads in the body very fast and affects the lungs, causing sudden death.
High fever, swelling in the neck and diarrhoea are some common symptoms of the disease.
Dr. Akhtar said that they have taken extensive precautionary measures to check the spread of the suspected disease.
“Anti-bacterial treatment is underway, and the situation is under control now,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park, also known as Birsa zoo, in Ranchi’s Ormanjhi area, has sounded an alert after the Jamshedpur incident.
“We have 69 blackbucks in the zoo. So, we have already taken precautions by spraying anti-viral and anti-bacterial medicines. Besides, bleaching is being sprayed in vulnerable places on a regular basis,” Birsa zoo veterinarian O.P. Sahu told PTI.
Spread over 104 hectares in Ranchi’s Ormanjhi, the zoo houses about 1,450 animals and birds of 83 different species.
Published – December 07, 2025 04:53 pm IST
