Finding a suitable nailcutter for a big cat can be a veterinary challenge.
Samrat, a 20-year-old Bengal tiger at the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling, who had been limping acutely for some time, was successfully treated for an overgrown claw by veterinary experts last week, zoo authorities said on Tuesday.
The tiger — the oldest among the five tigers currently at the zoo — had been unable to move properly because of an abnormal overgrowth of one of its claws on the paw of its right foreleg.
The zoo staff first noticed the animal limping inside his enclosure and struggling to eat as he could not put his paw on the ground.
They reported the issue to park authorities, who immediately contacted veterinary experts.
Pralay Mondal, a veterinarian from the Alipur zoo in Calcutta who was visiting the region, was consulted.
Mandal, in coordination with Joy Dey, the vet posted at the PNHZP, decided to trim the overgrown claw.
The solution appeared to be easy. However, it was not.
As Samrat was 20, tranquillising him was too risky, the vets believed.
“Considering the advanced age of the tiger, we avoided tranquillising him. Instead, the procedure was carried out using a squeeze cage to safely restrain the animal during surgery,” an official source said.
In 30 minutes, the claw trimming procedure was completed successfully.
Currently, the zoological park houses five tigers — two Siberian and and three Bengal tigers.
Due to old age and captivity, a sedentary Samrat was unable to naturally wear down his claws — a process that naturally occurs in the wild as tigers scratch their claws on rough surfaces.
Park director Arun Mukherjee confirmed that Samrat was doing well and had resumed his normal movement and feeding.
“ The animal is doing fine now. We are keeping a close watch on him through CCTV cameras,” he said.