Hyderabad, May 27 (IANS): A female giraffe has died at the Nehru Zoological Park (NZP) here after a brief illness, zoo officials said on Thursday.

Bubli, aged about 4 years and 3 months died on Wednesday.

As per preliminary post-mortem report, Bubli was suspected to be suffering with pneumonia and accordingly treatment was being provided since last week, Zoo curator V.V.L. Subhadra Devi said.

The Zoo veterinary team was supported by the veterinary experts form Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species at CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (LaCONES-CCMB), College of Veterinary Science and Zoo consultant Dr. M.Navin Kumar.

Post mortem was conducted by a veterinary expert team headed by Dr.Vijay Bhaskar Reddy, Assistant Director, Veterinary Biological & Research Institute (VBRI), Dr.Sambhasiva Rao, Senior Principal Scientist, LaCONES, Dr.M.Navin Kumar, Zoo consultant and Dr.M.A.Hakeem, Deputy Director (Vet),NZP and zoo veterinarians.

The post-mortem report suggests the cause of death as pneumonia. All the samples have been collected and sent to VBRI for further detailed examination, the curator said.

Bubli had become a member of the Hyderabad Zoo in 2019 on account of an animal exchange programme.

Earlier this month eight Asiatic lions had tested positive for Covid-19. The zoo officials said they all recovered.

Spread over 300 acres, NZP is home to nearly 181 indigenous and exotic species, including 1,716 animals, birds, and reptiles.

Known as one of the best zoos in Asia, it attracts around 30 lakh visitors annually.