Karachi Zoological Gardens lost its 16-year-old Bengal tiger, Alex, to kidney failure on Friday, leaving behind tigress Rachel with whom he enjoyed a close companionship.
According to zoo director Faheem Khan, Alex and Rachel were a perfect couple. They had not been together for long but the bond between them was unusual. Both of them would take care of each other and if one of them is away for long, the other would become restless. Their love defied normal animal behaviour, said Khan.
“They would share the food peacefully, which is very unusual to regular cat behaviour,” he told The Express Tribune. “They hardly fought and, when they did, it was usually because of disturbances caused by the heat or the visitors.”
His demise has left Rachel sad, according to Khan. The tigress has not eaten as much as she used to. “She keeps roaming around her cage and, when she sits or lies down, her eyes have a dejected look,” said Khan.
Alex was brought to Karachi from Lahore in 2004. “He has been one of the main attractions of the visitors at the garden for 13 years,” he said.
“Alex’s disease was diagnosed after he stopped eating earlier this week,” said the director. “We called in the best vets to treat him but he could not survive.” According to Khan, the average age of cat species is usually 18 in captivity.
