Cattle vaccination campaign begins
District panchayat president Manoj Moothedan inaugurated the campaign at Thrikkakara Municipality. Municipal chairperson Radhamani Pillai presided.
The sixth phase of the Statewide intensive vaccination campaign is being conducted from May 2 to 23. 'Cattle farmers should ensure their cattle are vaccinated during this period,' said project coordinator Biju J. Chembarathi.
'It is estimated that Kerala has 13.42 lakh cows and 1.01 lakh buffaloes. The campaign aims to cover 1,18,090 cattle in 18 days in the district,' said Ernakulam district animal husbandry officer G. Sajikumar.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
05-08-2025
- Hindustan Times
Spotted, Sambar deer from Katraj Zoo to be relocated to Sahyadri Tiger Reserve
PUNE: Plans are afoot to relocate a group of spotted (Chital) and Sambar deer from the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park in Katraj (Katraj Zoo) to the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) in Kolhapur as part of a broader initiative to decongest the deer enclosure at the zoo while strengthening the prey base within the tiger reserve and improve its ecological balance. New Delhi, India - April 4, 2017: A group of spotted deer at Delhi Zoo in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. (Photo by Ravi Choudhary/ Hindustan Times) (Ravi Choudhary/HT PHOTO) A team from STR visited the Katraj Zoo on Monday to assess the feasibility of such a transfer and initiate the process. The inspection team, led by Amit Bhise, assistant conservator of forests, Chandoli division, STR, carried out a detailed survey of the facilities, condition of the animals, and the logistics involved in the possible relocation. Zoo director Rajkumar Jadhav confirmed the visit and shared that the inspection was carried out as part of a collaborative effort between the zoo and the forest department. 'This was a demand made by the forest department and we consider it a positive and cooperative step toward strengthening the prey base within the reserve,' Jadhav said. However, he refrained from providing details on the number of deer to be shifted or the final timeline of the relocation. A senior forest official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the zoo currently houses around 82 deer - down from 98 after 16 deer died of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in July - and the proposal to shift some of them to STR has been under discussion for quite some time. The department has already obtained the necessary permissions from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) which oversees such transfers to ensure compliance with wildlife regulations and animal welfare norms. According to the official, the recent field visit marks an important step forward. 'Monday's visit was to assess the ground reality, and it will be followed by a thorough health checkup of the animals in the coming days. Only after ensuring their fitness for relocation will the final decision be taken. As of now, the exact number of deer to be relocated has not been finalised,' the official said. Spotted deer (Chital) are an essential part of forest ecosystems. They adapt well to wild habitats and play a vital role in maintaining the food chain. Their introduction into the STR is expected not only to enhance the prey base for apex predators like tigers and leopards but also contribute to the overall health of the forest ecosystem. Officials emphasised that the planned transfer is not merely a logistical exercise but an important component of ecological management aimed at sustaining the reserve's biodiversity. The presence of a healthy prey base is critical to the survival and stability of large carnivore populations, and the forest department hopes that this relocation will help in bolstering the habitat's natural balance over the long term. The relocation, once finalised, is expected to proceed in a phased manner, taking into account animal welfare, climatic conditions, and transport feasibility. Tushar Chavan, field director, Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, said, 'The plan is to enhance the prey base by releasing a healthy population of deer into the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. These animals will initially be housed in a safe, controlled environment within the reserve to help the population establish and grow. After that they will be released to the wild. During today's site visit, we felt it was prudent to conduct a full health screening before proceeding. We'll make the next move once the health reports are in.' Aditya Paranjape, honorary wildlife warden, Pune Forest department, who was also present during the visit said, 'This plan was cleared some time ago, but operational delays pushed it back. The process has resumed, but due to a recent foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, health screenings are now essential. Once they're cleared as healthy, the transfer will go ahead.'
Hindustan Times
27-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
PMC seeks explanation from zoo authorities over deer deaths
After laboratory reports confirmed that foot and mouth disease (FMD) caused the recent deaths of 16 spotted deer at the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, Pune municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has directed zoo authorities to submit a detailed explanation. In response, the zoo's health advisory committee implemented emergency biosecurity measures and carried out preventive vaccinations for the remaining animals. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC) 'The civic chief has issued instructions. Further action will follow once the report is submitted,' said Omprakash Diwate, additional municipal commissioner. Between July 6 and July 12, the Katraj zoo reported the deaths of 16 spotted deer — 14 females and two males — triggering serious concerns about the zoo's health monitoring and safety protocols. In response, the zoo's health advisory committee implemented emergency biosecurity measures and carried out preventive vaccinations for the remaining animals. Food, water, and blood samples were sent to national laboratories for analysis. On July 25, reports from the ICAR-National Institute on Foot and Mouth Disease (Bhubaneswar) and the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (Bhopal) confirmed that all 16 deer died due to FMD. Following the confirmation, PMC has asked the zoo director to submit a comprehensive report outlining the sequence of events, initial detection, response measures taken, and whether there was any human error or negligence. 'If any lapses are found, strict action will be taken against officials or staff,' Diwate said.
Indian Express
26-07-2025
- Indian Express
Foot and Mouth Disease caused deaths of 16 spotted deer in Pune zoo, reports confirm
The 16 chitals or spotted deer that died at the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park in Pune earlier this month were afflicted with Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), lab reports have confirmed, officials said. 'Based on the laboratory reports of samples, the expert committee has concluded that the primary cause of death of the chitals was due to FMD virus infection,' Rajkumar Jadhav, director, Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, said. 'This disease reduces the immunity of animals, especially under monsoon weather conditions, which increases stress levels and makes animals more vulnerable to fatal infections,' Jadhav added. Earlier, Jadhav had said that there were 99 spotted deer in the facility, and 15 died between July 7 and 12. The Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, which is owned by the Pune Municipal Corporation, had involved various government organisations to determine the cause of death of these animals. A team from Dr K N P College of Veterinary Science, Shirwal, and the Regional Disease Investigation Laboratory under the Maharashtra Department of Animal Husbandry was called in for the postmortem and collection of biological samples from the dead animals. The collected biological samples were sent for testing to the ICAR-National Institute on Foot and Mouth Disease in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, the ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bareilly, the Regional Wildlife Research and Training Centre in Nagpur, and the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal. The test results and laboratory reports from Bhubaneswar matched with the earlier preliminary findings, Jadhav said, adding that as per the report from the National Institute on Foot and Mouth Disease, the chitals in the zoological park were infected with FMD virus. A wild animal health advisory committee was organised on Friday to implement effective epidemic control measures in the zoo, Jadhav said, adding that it was attended by several experts. The timely involvement of government institutions working in the region helped ensure that the postmortems were conducted and biological samples were collected, Jadhav said. 'Due to these efforts, the mortality among the animals was brought under control in a short period. Currently, the situation is under control, and the health of the affected animals is improving,' he said. Meanwhile, the PMC has issued an advisory to all cattle owners and dairy owners in the city to check their animals for lumpy skin disease as per the directions of the state government.
