9-year-old female dhole dies in Delhi Zoo

A nine-year-old female dhole, brought to the Delhi Zoo for breeding purposes, died on Wednesday, reducing the zoo’s dhole population to a solitary male, officials said.

The cause of death remains unknown, and a postmortem will be conducted to determine the exact reason. “The female wild dog, Macchali, aged over nine years, died while undergoing treatment. Samples will be sent for laboratory analysis,” said Delhi Zoo director Sanjeet Kumar. He further stated that the range in-charge has been directed to submit a detailed report on the incident.

Dholes, wild canids native to Southeast Asia and known for their fox-like features, typically have a lifespan of 10 to 13 years in the wild, with some surviving up to 16 years in captivity. Macchali was brought to the Delhi Zoo from Vizag in 2019 as part of an animal exchange programme.

The death of the dhole comes just weeks after the loss of a 15-year-old female leopard named Babli, who died on February 26 due to age-related complications. The zoo now houses two male leopards and one female.

In February, the zoo also witnessed the deaths of a 15-year-old nilgai on February 13 and a 22-year-old jaguar on February 19, both of which succumbed to age-related illnesses despite ongoing treatment.

January was equally grim, with a female Sangai deer dying on January 25 after a fight with a male counterpart. Another nilgai sustained injuries from a separate fight during the same period. Earlier, on January 2, a one-horned rhinoceros named Dharmendra, brought from the Assam Zoo, died under unclear circumstances. Additionally, a nine-month-old white tiger cub died on December 28 due to “traumatic shock and acute pneumonia.”

Also Read: Fire incidents in Delhi: A declining trend or persistent threat?

Amid the string of animal deaths, the Delhi Zoo has announced that it will soon welcome new animals. By the end of March, two smooth-coated otters, a species last seen at the zoo in 2004, will arrive from Surat Zoo. Additionally, 10 star tortoises will be brought in as part of an exchange programme, with Delhi Zoo sending five Sangai deer, two blue-and-yellow macaws, and four green-cheeked conures to Surat Zoo in return.

Currently home to 95 species of animals and birds, the Delhi Zoo remains a key institution in India’s wildlife conservation efforts.

(With inputs from PTI)