Pune: 17 Deer Die Under Mysterious Circumstances At Katraj’s Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park
Pune: 16 Spotted Deer Die At Rajiv Gandhi Zoo; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Identified As Cause Of Outbreak
Pune, July 15, 2025: In a disturbing development, 17 deer have reportedly died under mysterious circumstances at the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park in Katraj. The cause of death remains unknown as officials await the post-mortem reports to determine the exact reason behind the fatalities.
Dr Ghanshyam Pawar, veterinary officer, Pune Municipal Corporation told Pune Pulse that these female adult animals had stopped consuming food. The bio samples have been sent to various government organisations for investigations and study, further to it, we can conclude to the exact cause of the deaths. This is the first time that such massive deaths have taken place. The authorities are taking due care of the animals in the near habitat of these deer.
Pawar further added, “Cheetal (Spotted deer) category of deer have been found dead in the zoo. Bio samples have been collected by Zoo health advisory committee, Krantisinha Nana Patil College of Veterinary Science, Shirwal, Disease Investigation Section, Aundh, National Institute of High Security have all taken the bio samples. It is important to note that presently we are focusing on bio security of the animals living in the zoo. For the last three days there have been no mortality.”
Former corporator Vasant More described the incident as tragic and raised concerns over the unusual nature of the deaths. “There is no clarity yet on why this happened. The deer had reportedly stopped eating over the past few days, and in just five days, more than 15 of them have died,” he told Pune Pulse.
Akshay Jain, Chairman of the Maharashtra State Youth Congress (Media and Communications), termed the deaths “extremely shocking” and called on zoo authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly. “The post-mortem report is crucial. The authorities must take immediate action to prevent further losses,” Jain added.
