LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: At a zoo in southern India, at least 11 rare tigers have died within the past two days. And wildlife officials are scrambling to try to save several others. As CNN's Satinder Bindra reports, the animals may have been doomed by an ill-advised effort to treat them.</s>SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Zoo officials first noticed signs of trouble, according to reports, on June 23rd, when a male tiger died of a mysterious bacterial infection spread by flies. So as a preventative measure, last Monday, officials vaccinated the other tigers in the zoo with antibiotics. Some zoo workers told the Indian media the tigers were given the drugs on empty stomachs. And that, alleged wildlife activists, may have killed the animals.</s>BISWAJIT MOHANTY, INDIAN WILDLIFE OFFICIAL: I believe steps could have been taken to save the rest of the tigers because there is facilities available in the rest of the world.</s>BINDRA: All the tigers who died did not respond to treatment and were left gasping for breath. Reports on Indian television say no doctors were present when some of the tigers died. Doctors are now carrying out post-mortems on the tigers to try and confirm the exact cause of death. The state government has ordered an inquiry into the tragedy. Zoo officials have also been directed to seek the help of experts to prevent the deaths of more tigers who are still very sick. Senior Indian officials say all the tigers were killed by a bacterial infection that affects the animals' brains. Officials also say they've flown in special drugs to the zoo in an effort to try and save the remaining tigers. At last count, only 6,000 tigers are said to be living in the wild. Fewer still are alive in captivity. Satinder Bindra, CNN, New Delhi.
11 Rare Tigers Die at Southern India Zoo; Animals May Have Been Doomed by Ill-Advised Treatment