By IANS
Raipur : A hyena at a zoological park in Chhattisgarh has died of anthrax infection, a forest official said Thursday.
Divisional forest officer Sunil Mishra said that a hyena was found dead Tuesday in Nandanvan Zoological Park on the outskirts of Chhattisgarh's capital city Raipur.
"Doctors who collected a blood sample of the dead hyena and examined it at a veterinary lab confirmed Thursday that the animal died of anthrax infection," he said.
"After initial confirmation by doctors, the zoo has been closed for 15 days and we are vaccinating all animals at the zoo including four lions, one tiger, three beers, six leopards, two pythons and over 50 cheetals (spotted deer).
"We are taking all steps to prevent the infection from spreading further. About 20 staff members have been put on a five-day course of medicines and animals within five km radius of the zoo are being given antibiotic doses," Mishra told IANS.
"It's probably the first case of a hyena dying of anthrax infection in India. We have been keeping Wildlife Institute of India updated about the anthrax outbreak at the zoo. We have also decided to send the blood sample of the dead hyena to the Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal for advanced medical tests," added Mishra.