Skip to main content

Bakkar the Bengal tiger at Canberra's National Zoo dies aged 21





Last year, in February 2015, Bakkar the Bengal tiger was my companion for two nights. He was the perfect companion as I stayed in luxurious accomodations at the Jamala Wildlife Lodge in the grounds of Canberra’s National Zoo and Aquarium. My lodge bordered Bakkar’s enclosure so he could sleep next to my bed, with only a pane of glass separating us. He did not have to – he could do whatever he wanted. But whenever I entered the lodge he would come to keep me company. Each of the two nights he slept next to the window, on a bed of grass and leaves, cleaned daily by his keeper of 10 years.

The 21-year-old tiger was euthanized on Saturday 4 June 2016 due to declining health, the Canberra’s National Zoo and Aquarium said on Monday. Senior wildlife keeper, Renee Osterloh, said Bakkar stayed in his jungle bungalow den right up until his last day, and not in the infirmary section at the back of the zoo. He was alert, but his health failed rapidly overnight during the weekend, and the decision was made to put him to sleep.

Bakkar was born at Dreamworld in Queensland, with four siblings, and was transferred to the Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo before living at the Canberra Zoo in December 1994, spending 11 years there. Bengal tigers can live up to 12 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity. He outived his brothers and sisters by many years.

Osterloh said he was known for his chuffing – saying hello – and his enjoyment of the company of people. I can confirm this. Bakkar chuffed a lot! He would chuff in the morning to say hello, and as I walked to the main lodge for meals he would meet me on the public viewing side of his enclosure as if to check that I was heading in the right direction, or to partake in a morning chat.

Bakkar was one of the most beautiful and amazing animals at the Canberra National Zoo and Aquarium and I’m glad to have known him briefly, and to have experienced his special personality and companionship.

I took these photographs of Bakkar 16 months ago.

















http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-national-zoo-and-aquariums-bakkar-the-bengal-tiger-dies-aged-21-20160606-gpd406.html


MARTINA NICOLLS is the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh  (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. That
1 comment
Read more

Flaws in the Glass, a self-portrait by Patrick White: book review

The manuscript, Flaws in the Glass (1981), is Patrick Victor Martindale White’s autobiography. White, born in 1912 in England, migrated to Sydney, Australia, when he was six months old. For three years, at the age of 20, he studied French and German literature at King’s College at the University of Cambridge in England. Throughout his life, he published 12 novels. In 1957 he won the inaugural Miles Franklin Literary Award for Voss, published in 1956. In 1961, Riders in the Chariot became a best-seller, winning the Miles Franklin Literary Award. In 1973, he was the first Australian author to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for The Eye of the Storm, despite many critics describing his works as ‘un-Australian’ and himself as ‘Australia’s most unreadable novelist.’ In 1979, The Twyborn Affair was short-listed for the Booker Prize, but he withdrew it from the competition to give younger writers the opportunity to win the award. His autobiography, Flaws in the Glass
Post a Comment
Read more

Sister cities discussed: Canberra and Islamabad

Two months ago, in March 2015, Australia and Pakistan agreed to explore ways to deepen ties. The relationship between Australia and Pakistan has been strong for decades, and the two countries continue to keep dialogues open. The annual bilateral discussions were held in Australia in March to continue engagements on a wide range of matters of mutual interest. The Pakistan delegation discussed points of interest will include sports, agriculture, economic growth, trade, border protection, business, and education. The possible twinning of the cities of Canberra, the capital of Australia, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, were also on the agenda (i.e. called twin towns or sister cities). Sister City relationships are twinning arrangements that build friendships as well as government, business, culture, and community linkages. Canberra currently has international Sister City relationships with Beijing in China and Nara in Japan. One example of existing
1 comment
Read more