<p>Following the outbreak of bird flu in the City, the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) has stopped feeding chicken to its animals.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Though the BBP now buys packaged chicken from a private outlet, the zoo authorities have dropped poultry items from the menu, as a precautionary measure. <br /><br />Carnivorous animals, unlike humans, can digest raw chicken even if infected, opine veterinarians. The BBP, however, as a safety measure has banned feeding of poultry products to animals. <br /><br />Four tigers and a three-month-old cub that developed salmonella infection, after they were fed chicken, and died in 2010 has put the BBP on high alert.<br /><br />In the past chicken were killed, cleaned on the zoo premises and later fed to animals. But now packaged chicken is served to animals.<br /><br />The BBP is under pressure to protect animals from all kinds of infections that could prove fatal, in the light of recent deaths of sloth bears.<br /><br />Under pressure<br /><br />The 15-yeard-old tigress Rajeshwari that has been suffering from lumbar spondylosis, degeneration of the lower spine for many months has put the zoo authorities under duress.<br /><br />The tigress gave birth to a cub, a year ago. She developed spondylosis soon after the delivery. As the cub frolicks with the mother, the pain in her hind legs only increases.<br /><br />The veterinarians are unable to do a MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and a CT scan on the tigress as recommended by orthopaedics, as the zoo is not equipped.<br /><br />A few months ago, when an animal had to undergo an ultra sound scanning, the equipment had to be hired from a private hospital.<br /><br />Noting the lack of facilities and the recent deaths, the zoo authorities seem to be in no mood to risk feeding poultry products to the animals.</p>
<p>Following the outbreak of bird flu in the City, the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) has stopped feeding chicken to its animals.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Though the BBP now buys packaged chicken from a private outlet, the zoo authorities have dropped poultry items from the menu, as a precautionary measure. <br /><br />Carnivorous animals, unlike humans, can digest raw chicken even if infected, opine veterinarians. The BBP, however, as a safety measure has banned feeding of poultry products to animals. <br /><br />Four tigers and a three-month-old cub that developed salmonella infection, after they were fed chicken, and died in 2010 has put the BBP on high alert.<br /><br />In the past chicken were killed, cleaned on the zoo premises and later fed to animals. But now packaged chicken is served to animals.<br /><br />The BBP is under pressure to protect animals from all kinds of infections that could prove fatal, in the light of recent deaths of sloth bears.<br /><br />Under pressure<br /><br />The 15-yeard-old tigress Rajeshwari that has been suffering from lumbar spondylosis, degeneration of the lower spine for many months has put the zoo authorities under duress.<br /><br />The tigress gave birth to a cub, a year ago. She developed spondylosis soon after the delivery. As the cub frolicks with the mother, the pain in her hind legs only increases.<br /><br />The veterinarians are unable to do a MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and a CT scan on the tigress as recommended by orthopaedics, as the zoo is not equipped.<br /><br />A few months ago, when an animal had to undergo an ultra sound scanning, the equipment had to be hired from a private hospital.<br /><br />Noting the lack of facilities and the recent deaths, the zoo authorities seem to be in no mood to risk feeding poultry products to the animals.</p>
