Paralysed baby monkey 'Muthalali' rescued by vet dies during treatment at Vandalur zoo
The infant female monkey was in the news after the vet who rescued it, Dr Vallaiappan, was denied interim custody of the animal by the Madras High Court last week.
Dr Vallaiappan caring for paralysed baby monkey Muthalali (File Photos)
CHENNAI: A paralysed juvenile bonnet macaque being treated at the veterinary hospital of the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur here passed away on Wednesday. The female monkey was in the news after the vet who rescued it, Dr Vallaiappan, was denied interim custody of the animal by the Madras High Court last week. The doctor had also not been allowed to touch the creature when he visited the zoo.
The infant monkey was rescued from a forest area in Vellore and brought to the vet at a camp in Ranipet last December. It was badly injured after being mauled by stray dogs that had rabies. After the camp, Dr Vallaiappan took the monkey to Coimbatore, christened her 'Muthalali', and took personal care of her for 10 months. Paralysed below the hip due to the attack, the baby monkey was not able to move or even excrete on its own, he had said.
Later, as it was a protected forest animal, the forest department officials took away the monkey to the Vandalur zoo and admitted it to the veterinary hospital there on October 26. It was found to have hind limb paralysis and an abrasion on its back with haematology results indicating moderate anaemia.
The animal was administered all required medication and was continuously monitored by the veterinary team at the Vandalur zoo. It received special care such as appropriate bedding to facilitate wound healing and prevent further abrasion. The monkey was also made to do a passive range of motion exercises, in physiotherapy sessions.
With the help of this treatment and care, the monkey's health showed some improvement. However, over the past two days, the creature appeared dull.
Following this, experts from the Tamil Nadu University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (TANUVAS) were consulted, and appropriate treatment was administered to the animal. However, despite efforts, the macaque succumbed today.
Earlier this month, in an emotional scene, the veterinarian who had visited the zoo to meet the monkey with permission from the Madras High Court was seen teary-eyed and dejected after his plea to touch and examine the animal was refused by the zoo staff, an insider had told this newspaper. The zookeepers had also not released the infant simian from the cage even as it was all excited upon seeing the doctor.
Five days ago, Vallaiappan had moved the Madras High Court after his pleas to get the monkey in his custody was rejected by the forest department. He had said that the animal needed continuous care. However, the court had observed that the veterinarian could not claim exclusive ownership, and that if the possession of the monkey was granted to the petitioner, it would open the doors for individuals seeking custody of listed wild animals.
