Tiger to Become a Major Attraction in Odisha

Nandankanan zoo authorities today released the CCTV footage of the four tiger cubs, of which one is a rare dark skinned (melanistic) cub, born to tigress Sneha.

The mother and the cubs are being kept in an off-exhibit enclosure at the zoo.

Principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) S.S. Srivastava said the melanistic tiger would be a major attraction for tourists visiting the zoo. “We went through the CCTV footage of the zoo and one of the four cubs appears to be melanistic. Though presence of such black tigers was reported in the Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district, the birth of a melanistic tiger inside the zoo is a rare phenomenon,” said Srivastava.

Experts believe that apart from white tigers, big cats with deviation from the normal yellow coat have not been discussed in detail. “However, there are at least 14 known types of body colouration in tigers. The appearance of tigers with aberrant colouration can be expected as a regular but extremely rare natural phenomenon. Only in populations where inbreeding has a longer and stronger influence, the appearance of aberrants would be more frequent,” said former research officer of the state forest department and tiger expert Lala A.K. Singh.

The Nandankanan zoo authorities are taking due care of the four-and-a-half-year-old mother and the newborns. The authorities have alerted the veterinary doctors of Nandankanan to remain vigilant. The zoo authorities have increased the amount of meat served to the mother.

“We have raised the quantity of buffalo meat served to the mother by 10 per cent. She is being given 11kg of meat. Besides tablets containing iron, calcium and folic acid are being given to the mother. Similarly, medicines are being given to increase the milk production of the mother,” said a zoo official.

A team of officials is monitoring the health condition of the mother and litters through the CCTV footage. Water served in the off-exhibit enclosure, where the mother is staying with her cubs, is being changed frequently. A zoo official said the health conditions of the mother and the cubs are stable.

“Utmost care is being taken to ensure minimum disturbance in the area. We are constantly monitoring the movement of mother and its cubs. The mother is taking care of her cubs,” said zoo director Sudarshan Panda.

The extra cautious approach of the zoo officials is understandable as the chances of survival of first litter of a tigress are generally minimal. In November 2011, five cubs born for the first time to 12-year-old tigress Priyanka had died sparking off a controversy, which had forced the state government to order an inquiry.

Source : Telegraph