Ustad’s blood samples taken to assess health

UDAIPUR: Following the directions of the committee framed by the

National Tiger Conservation Authority

(NTCA), which is monitoring the health condition of the captive Tiger-24 aka Ustad at

Sajjangarh Biological Park

here, veterinary experts tranquilized the big cat and took his blood samples on Thursday.

The samples would be sent to

Indian Veterinary Research Institute

(IVRI), Bareilly and if the experts affirm a positive health condition, Ustad would be given a normal diet from the special medicated one he is presently on, T Mohanraj, deputy conservator of forests, Wild Life told TOI.

Only on the basis of the opinion from the IVRI experts, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) would further proceed for a soft release of the majestic cat which was banished from Ranthambore wilds in May 2015, after being declared a ‘man eater’. Soft release is a means of gradually accustoming wild animal to a new environment before releasing them into it. In T-24’s case, the NTCA is considering to shift him to any of the sanctuaries either at Kumbalgarh or Amli.

Ustad had suffered from

idiopathic megacolon

in December 2015 and had undergone a major surgery. Since then, he was being given ‘Keema’ instead of raw meat to prevent indigestion that caused the disease. The monitoring committee had visited Udaipur in August 2016 and had discussed with experts on the possibilities of releasing the tiger to a bigger enclosure.

However, forest authorities who were incharge of his upkeep were skeptical of the idea, then. “ Idiopathic megacolon is a recurrent disease in nature and could reoccur in future. Since Ustad was on a special diet, it was not advisable to send him to a bigger enclosure like a sanctuary as no one would be there to look after his diet” Mohanraj said.

The monitoring committee then decided to keep Ustad at the Bio park for some more time and later assess his medical condition before determining for his soft release. Following the decision, veterinary expert Arvind Mathur from Jaipur and Himanshu Vyas took the tiger’s blood samples. If the IVRI experts find Ustad fit enough to intake normal diet, the tiger would be fed on raw meat for some time before being released in any sanctuary.

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