Delhi Zoo: Female Baboon dies, third animal fatality in weeks - Cold weather suspected

A female African baboon named "Chintu" has died at the Delhi Zoo, marking the third animal fatality at the facility in just three weeks, zoo officials confirmed on Thursday.

Chintu had shown signs of lethargy earlier in the day and began shivering, prompting the zoo staff to move her to the veterinary hospital for treatment. Despite efforts to save her, the baboon passed away later in the day. The cause of death is yet to be confirmed, as the zoo is awaiting a report from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly.

This comes after the recent deaths of a white tiger cub and a one-horned rhinoceros at the zoo. The zoo director, Sanjeet Kumar, stated that while the cause of Chintu’s death remains unclear, cold weather could have played a role in the animals' declining health. A senior zoo official added that the baboon’s sudden drop in activity and the onset of shivering were indicative of her illness.

With Chintu's death, the zoo now has three remaining baboons out of the original four. Earlier this month, on January 2, the zoo also lost a male one-horned rhinoceros named "Dharmendra" due to acute haemorrhagic enteritis, a severe intestinal condition caused by infections or toxins. The zoo now only has one female rhinoceros.

In another unfortunate incident, a nine-month-old white tiger cub passed away four days prior. The post-mortem revealed that traumatic shock and acute pneumonia were the causes of death.

Established in 1959, the Delhi Zoo is renowned as a ‘model’ zoo in India, home to over 96 species of animals and birds.