Kanpur, Oct. 8 -- Four blackbucks have died at the Kanpur zoological park in the past two weeks, with a haemoprotozoan infection suspected to be behind the deaths. A team of wildlife experts from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izzatnagar-Bareilly, inspected the zoo and conducted a post-mortem on one of the animals this week, collecting samples for further tests, said zoo officials. In their preliminary assessment, the experts identified haemoprotozoan infection. They have collected viscera and other samples for further tests. The latest death, of a male blackbuck, occurred two days ago. Three others had died the previous week. Zoo doctors had initially suspected toxicosis and sent the viscera of one animal to a laboratory in Bareilly, whose report is still awaited. As the deaths continued, the zoo administration called in the IVRI. A team of senior scientists reached the zoo around 11 am on Tuesday. The experts first inspected the enclosure and then carried out the post-mortem. They advised the zoo's veterinary doctors on treatment and medication to stop the infection from spreading, and collected samples from the blackbucks for testing. Zoo director Dr Kanhaiya Patel said "IVRI experts inspected the enclosure and found haemoprotozoan infection. They have advised us on treatment and medication. The exact cause will become clear once the investigation report is received."htc...