Bhubaneswar, March 30: An 18-month-old male hippopotamus today succumbed to injuries sustained last week in a ferocious battle with another of its ilk at Nandankanan zoo.

The animal was found dead in a pond beside the Kanjia Lake on the zoo premises. The incident took place while the zoo authorities were gearing up for the inauguration of an electronic gate that will be the second of its kind in the country after the Hyderabad zoo.

Zoo sources said the fight had left the hippo critically injured with wounds in its abdomen and thoracic region. The zoo veterinarians had treated it after the fight, but it stopped eating two days ago.

The zoo is now left with 12 hippos, including eight males. Four hippos were born in Nandankanan in the last two months. One newborn hippo had died three months ago after a fight with another hippopotamus.

Animal rights activists blamed the zoo authorities for the death of the hippo. “The pond is too small for 13 animals. Keeping in mind the fact that clashes are frequent between the males, the zoo authorities could have kept the males at separate facilities,” said J.B. Dash, an animal activist.

Later, a post-mortem was carried out and it was revealed that sever injuries cause the death.

“The hippo suffered severe injuries in the fight that led to septicaemia. The hippo died last night,” said the zoo veterinary surgeon who had conducted the post-mortem.

However, Nandamkanan authorities denied the allegations and said the existing facility for the hippos was adequate.

“We will look into the matter and remedial measures will be taken after getting the internal report of death from the zoo authorities,” said principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) J.D. Sharma.

The zoo has been under the scanner for frequent death of captive animals.

A seven-year-old lion had died in the zoo on March 15. The government had ordered an inquiry into the death of five newborn tiger cubs that had died on November 18 last year.

The zoo authorities today inaugurated the electronic gate system to keep tabs on visitors entering the zoo. Installed at a cost of nearly Rs 13 lakh, the electronic gate system is expected to keep a watch on the visitors entering the zoo.