Two tiger cubs die at Delhi zoo

NEW DELHI: Two tiger cubs have died over the past three days at the Delhi zoo, officials said on Monday.

The deaths came just a week after the zoo celebrated the birth of six Bengal tiger cubs — the largest litter in two decades.

The cubs were born to a seven-year-old tigress, Aditi, on August 4 between 9 am and 11 am.

This was her first litter since being brought from the Gorewada rescue centre in Nagpur.

Zoo director Sanjeet Kumar said the mother is nursing and feeding the remaining four cubs, who are under constant CCTV and manual monitoring to track feeding and activity.

One cub, the smallest in the litter, died inside the enclosure on the morning of August 8.

Another, which was weak and unable to feed on its mother’s milk, was transferred to the zoo hospital on the night of August 9. It died the following night despite treatment.

“Supplements are being given to the mother to support milk production. The remaining cubs are being closely observed and are feeding well,” Kumar said. Before this birth, the zoo housed six white tigers and seven Royal Bengal tigers.

In 2023, tigress Siddhi at Gorewada gave birth to five cubs, with two surviving. Delhi Zoo, housing tigers since 1959, is a designated centre for tiger conservation under the 2010 national

breeding programme.