BAHAWALPUR: A seven-year-old white lioness, Moni, died mysteriously at the historic Sher Bagh Zoo in Bahawalpur, raising questions over the cause of her sudden death.
The rare white lioness, brought to Sher Bagh from Lahore three years ago, was found dead inside her enclosure during routine cleaning. Initially, zoo officials, including Curator Zafar Maan and veterinary staff, did not provide any clear information regarding the cause of death.
According to the postmortem report issued by the Diagnostic Laboratory of Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, the lioness died due to natural medical complications, including an enlarged heart and blood clots in the lungs.
The report stated that the lioness’s heart was abnormally enlarged and severe blood clotting was observed in the heart and lungs. Signs of lung swelling, pneumonia and pulmonary edema were also found, while bloody foamy material was present in the respiratory tract. The report declared the kidneys and digestive system normal and found no evidence of violence or external injuries on the animal’s body.
A veterinary doctor at Sher Bagh said the final cause of death could not be confirmed until completion of the postmortem examination.
The caretaker and other zoo employees said Moni appeared healthy until 9pm the previous night and was eating normally, suggesting that she may have suffered a cardiac event.
