Peshawar Zoo: Female cheetah dies after being injured in a fight

PESHAWAR: A female cheetah died at Peshawar Zoo on Tuesday after she fought a male tiger two days ago, said project director Ishtiaq.

The cheetah was severely wounded during the fight and suffered internal bleeding as well, he revealed.

He said "It was very difficult for the management to get both tigers separated from each other during the fight".

The wounded cheetah was provided medical aid but she could not survive.

KP Minister Forestry Environment & Wildlife Department Syed Muhammad Ishtiaq Urmar said that a meeting of the zoo's management had been summoned and doctors have been asked to help determine how these incidences can be avoided in future.

Two years ago, over 34 animals died at Peshawar zoo within three months, a report had disclosed.

The report was compiled by the investigation committee formed to probe the back-to-back deaths of animals at the zoo.

A dark cloud hovered over the Peshawar zoo following media reports of deaths. The zoo has lost more than 30 birds, one nilgai (an antelope endemic to Indian subcontinent), a snow leopard, a fallow deer and a monkey.

The report had concluded that the birds and nilgai had passed away due to breathing problems.

A four-year-old fallow deer, which died on March 1, was initially reported to have died under ‘mysterious circumstances’. However, the report states that the deer was killed after colliding with the rods of its cage. The sub-adult female deer, which was of American-African origin was brought to the zoo two weeks before it died.

Three days later on May 4, the zoo lost one of its monkeys. The monkey died after being severely injured by a wolf, which was kept in the same cage as the monkey.

On March 15, a 10-year-old snow leopard had passed away at the zoo. The snow leopard was brought to the zoo from Galiyat and was scheduled to be taken back on April 15 due to hot weather.