Kolkata, A four-year-old male hippopotamus at the Alipore Zoological Gardens here has lost strength in its legs after being affected by a neurological disorder, zoo authorities said on Sunday.
Due to nerve-related complications, the animal has been unable to walk and has remained confined to water for nearly three weeks.
The hippo has been lying in water for the past 17 days and is unable to move properly, they said.
"A medical board has been constituted by Alipore Zoo authorities to treat the animal. The treatment team includes veterinarians from Alipore Zoo, Belgachia State Animal Hospital, and Nandankanan Zoological Park," an official said.
The hippo was brought to Alipore from Nandankanan in 2024, he said.
"Veterinarians from Ranchi and Mysuru zoos are also part of the medical consultation," he added.
Initially, forest officials had considered using a crane to lift the hippo out of the water for treatment and sought expert advice, he said.
"However, following consultations, we decided against using a crane for now. Instead, the medical board opted for physiotherapy to help restore strength in the animal's legs," the official said.
The hippo is currently undergoing physiotherapy using infrared rays, he elaborated.
"Veterinarians explained that infrared therapy is a part of physiotherapy that uses electromagnetic radiation to stimulate nerves," the official said.
The radiation helps activate nervous tissues and is commonly used to treat muscle pain, joint pain, and nerve-related conditions in both humans and animals.
According to zoo sources, infrared therapy has previously shown positive results at Alipore Zoo.
Earlier, a sambar deer that had suddenly lost the ability to walk due to a nerve disorder recovered after undergoing infrared ray therapy for about a month.
Similar treatment was also successfully administered to several deer at the zoo's deer enclosure, he said.
A member of Alipore Zoo's medical board said efforts are underway to revive the hippo's nerves through infrared therapy.
"At this stage, it is difficult to say how long the treatment will take. However, if the nerves respond, we are hopeful that the animal will regain the ability to walk," the veterinarian added.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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