Authorities of Bengal Safari Park focus on capacity building of zookeepers

Siliguri: Three Royal Bengal tiger cubs born last week at Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri have died. The cubs, born to a tigress named Rika, were fatally injured just two days after birth when their mother accidentally bit them while attempting to move them within her enclosure. To prevent a rerun of such incidents, authorities have decided on training for capacity building of zookeepers.

Park officials revealed that the tigress inadvertently caused fatal injuries to the cubs’ tracheas during the relocation attempt. Two of the cubs died immediately, while the third succumbed to its injuries despite intervention.

This tragic event has sparked an internal investigation. “Rika accidentally killed the three cubs. However, we have initiated a probe to understand the circumstances better,” said Vijay Kumar, park’s director. This is not the first instance of such a tragedy at the park. In August 2023, two tiger cubs met a similar fate when bitten by their white tigress mother.

These repeated incidents have underscored the urgent need for improved care and management strategies in handling vulnerable newborn animals. To address such challenges, the Bengal Safari Park, in collaboration with the Central Zoo Authority of India, organised a three-day capacity-building programme for zookeepers. The training, which concluded on Sunday, aimed to enhance skills in animal welfare, habitat management and conservation.

“The training is an effort to equip our zookeepers with the knowledge and skills required to prevent such unfortunate incidents in the future,” said Sourav Choudhury, Member Secretary of the West Bengal Zoo Authority.

Authorities hope the strengthened training protocols will prevent similar tragedies and ensure better care for Bengal Safari Park’s animals.

Prominent wildlife experts and officials, including Ashish Kumar Samanta (Retd. IFS), Basavaraj S. Holeyachi (Director, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park) and Abhishek Chowdhury (Assistant Director, North Bengal Wildlife Park), conducted the sessions.

Around 200 zookeepers participated in the programme, which emphasised the importance of sensitive care for animals, particularly during high-risk scenarios like birthing and rearing.