Hematological and serum biochemical indices of captive Royal Bengal Tigers (Panthera tigris), Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandaloor, Chennai.

The study on Hematological and serum biochemical indices of captive Royal Bengal Tigers (Panthera tigris) was carried out in tigers reared under the captive conditions at Zoo and Rescue centre of Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur of Tamil Nadu state (12.8781° N, 80.0859°E) from 2015 to April, 2017. Blood samples were collected from 30 tigers from lateral coccygeal vein during the routine clinical examination at squeeze cages in K-EDTA vials .The mean hematological values for Hemoglobin (g%), PCV (%), RBC (106/ µl) and WBC (103/ µl), were found to be 14.43±1.12 (g%), 48.10±0.49 (%)7.37±1.35 (106/ µl) 13.73±0.76 (103/ µl), respectively. Similarly, the mean±S.E. values of erythrocyte indices (MCV in fl, MCH in pg and MCHC in g/dL) were found to be 60.40±0.25 (fl), 32.56±0.34 (pg) and 54.56±0.35 (g/dl), respectively in these tigers investigated. The overall serum biochemical parameters like blood urea nitrogen BUN (mg/dL), creatinine (mg/dL), total protein (g/dL), albumin (g/dL), globulin (g/dL), ALT(IU/L), ALP(IU/L), calcium (mg/dL), phosphorous (mg/dL), cholesterol (mg/dL) and glucose (mg/dL) were estimated to be 43.43±0.55 mg/dL, 2.43±2.11 (mg/dL), 7.45±1.35 (g/dL), 3.08±2.33(g/dL), 2.74±2.28 (g/dL), 103.04±0.30 (IU/L), 78.10±0.40 (IU/L),10.57±1.11 (mg/dL), 8.66±1.30 (mg/dL), 151.83±0.27 (mg/dL)  and 59.66±0.40 (mg/dL) respectively. The geographical and meteorological parameters were also assessed in this study. All other components were maintained as same for the tigers including feed and water.