Royal Bengal tigress gives birth to cubs at Delhi zoo after 18 long years
A royal Bengal tigress has delivered cubs to New Delhi’s National Zoological Park after a long hiatus of 18 years.
The Royal Bengal tigress, named Siddhi, gave birth to five cubs on May 4 – two live and three stillborn.
“Currently, both cubs are being cared for by the mother and are completely dependent on the mother for food and are doing well. The mother tigress and her cubs are kept under CCTV camera surveillance and regularly checked by zoo staff,” a official release The Union Ministry of Forestry said this on Monday.
National Zoological Park in New Delhi has four adult Bengal tigers in its collection and the names of these tigers are Karan, Siddhi, Aditi and Barkha.
The National Zoological Park (Delhi Zoo) has been home to tigers since its opening in 1959. On May 14, 1969, the first pair of lions was also received from Junagadh Zoo in exchange for a pair of tiger cubs.
From the time of the tiger’s acquisition, Delhi Zoo has maintained its population for conservation, education and exhibition. Tigers have been well bred in Delhi Zoo and have been given in exchange to many zoos at home and abroad.
In 2010, the Central Zoo Authority initiated a coordinated planned captive breeding program for the conservation of critically endangered wildlife species, as this is the primary objective of the 1998 National Zoo Policy.