The Thiruvananthapuram zoo has stepped up safety protocols following the death of a sambar deer from rabies on Sunday.

This is the second time that a sambar deer has died of rabies at the zoo. One deer had tested positive for rabies in March, while another had tested negative.

The State Institute for Animal Diseases, Palode, confirmed that the deer that died on Sunday had rabies.

Following the animal’s death, the keeper who handled the sambar deer has been given anti-rabies vaccination. Other zookeepers and doctors have already had prophylactic vaccination the last time rabies was reported there.

As other animals, including carnivores, had been administered the anti-rabies vaccination earlier, only the sambar deer will be given the anti-rabies vaccination this time.

Officials say the dead sambar deer could have escaped vaccination the last time considering the logistics of the procedure, especially administration of vaccine to all of them on a single day. Then, the deer were darted by the zoo doctor from outside the enclosure, while a keeper familiar with the animals spray-painted them.

This time, the zoo authorities are mulling the possibility of shifting the vaccinated sambar deer to an adjacent open enclosure after vaccination, though this would take slightly more time.

Zookeepers continue to don gloves and masks as per procedure.

It is suspected that animals such as mongoose or civet cat could have transmitted the disease to the sambar deer.