Wallaby Dies of Parasitic Infection at SV Zoo Park
Male red-necked wallaby at SV Zoo dies from Toxoplasmosis
Tirupati: A male Red-Necked Wallaby at the Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park (SVZP) in Tirupati died late on Thursday night. The carcass was buried on Friday within the post-mortem complex of the zoo.
According to SVZP officials, the animal had been unwell and had stopped feeding since Thursday morning. The in-house veterinary team began immediate treatment and provided intensive care. However, despite continuous monitoring and emergency measures, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the wallaby could not be revived.
As per standard protocol, the carcass was sent to the Department of Pathology at Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University for a detailed post-mortem examination. The examination, conducted by a professor from the department, identified Toxoplasmosis as the cause of death.
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, which can infect most warm-blooded animals. It usually spreads through contaminated food, water, or contact with infected faeces. Zoo officials did not specify how the infection might have occurred or the conditions that led to the wallaby contracting the disease.
The male wallaby was one of a pair donated to the SVZP by the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust of Gujarat on August 27, 2025, along with a pair each of meerkats and common marmosets. The animals were housed in the park’s ‘Sanjeevani’ block under mandatory quarantine.
Officials said the remaining female wallaby and other newly arrived species were healthy and under observation. The zoo management expressed sadness over the loss and said animal health was being monitored closely, particularly given the prevailing wet weather conditions.
