White tigress gives birth to 4 cubs in Chhatbir Zoo

Our Correspondent

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Zirakpur, November 17

Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, popular as Chhatbir Zoo, welcomed four new members after Diya, the white tigress, gave birth to four cubs this morning.

The zoo staff has made special arrangements for the food and care of the newborns. For the Zoo authorities, the birth of the cubs is a joyous occasion.

Officials said the zoo-born Diya mated with Aman, a tiger brought from the Kanpur zoo under animal exchange programme four years ago. They have become proud parents today, said officials.

M Sudhagar, Field Director, Chhatbir Zoo, said the tigress and her cubs had been kept in an isolated enclosure and no zoo officials, except the tigress’ keepers, were being allowed to go close. He added that the zoo officials were monitoring the enclosure through closed circuit television cameras installed in the cage. Even their father, Aman, was kept in a separate enclosure.

He stated that the zoo authorities had been waiting for the past three days with all the arrangements for safe and successful cubbing. Finally, when the placental bag ruptured yesterday, the veterinary and animal management wing prepared for the prenatal, neo-natal and post-natal care of the cubs, he added.

Diya was isolated with all the bedding arrangements and supplementation and monitored continuously through CCTV. Around 00:30 am, Diya started showing symptoms of cubbing and one by one delivered four cubs by 5 am.

The efforts of the zoo staff for 102 days, from the day of pairing of Aman and Diya till today, such as medication, diet and other supplementation in pregnancy, round-the-clock observation of behaviour through CCTVs finally yielded positive result, the zoo official said.

Sudhagar said even though the cubs were healthy and active, the zoo team were making the necessary arrangements for the cubs to pass this winter comfortably.

Diya and her four cubs will be kept under critical care management for creating best possible and infection-free environment for three months, he stated.