Zoo closed following outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 5 (UNI) The authorities closed the Zoo here indefinitely for the second time in a month following the outbreak of dreaded foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease.

One of 21 wild boars in the Zoo died yesterday with the FMD symptoms, a deadly disease found on cloven-hoofed animals, Zoo Director Elcy George told UNI.

''As we have confirmed the cause of the death of the wild boar to FMD, we have decided to close the Zoo as a precautionary measure and disinfect the premises,'' she said.

Since the chances of viral outbreak was high through the wild boars, the Zoo authorities were given permission to cull all the remaining 19 wild boars in the Zoo after a high-power committee of experts reviewed the situation, she said adding that earlier one had died due to old age.

Admitting that the disease also infected some other animals, including ten sambars and spotted deer and a nilgai, she said ''we are taking all preventive measures not to spread the disease to other precious animals.'' However, she clarified that due to lack of sufficient place to shift the affected animals to separate enclosures, the chances of the disease spreading to other animals were very high.

''Though there is some sense of worry. We hope that it can be checked and the animals protected,'' she added.

Earlier in the first week of July, the deadly disease had claimed the lives of about 25 animals, including black bucks, mithun bulls and nilgai, which forced the authorities to shut down the Zoo from July 8 to July 24.

The Zoo, set up by the erstwhile Travancore rulers in 1857, houses 475 animals of 72 species on a 56-acre campus in the heart of the capital city.

Education and Cultural Affairs Minister M A Baby had informed the state Assembly that the government plans to open an annexe in a new location to which some of the animals would be moved as a solution to overcrowding of animals in the present location.

UNI