The Maitri Bagh Zoo, managed by SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant, is rejoicing as the three adorable White Tiger cubs born in April this year to the white tigress ‘Raksha’ will be officially named on August 15, India’s Independence Day. After the naming ceremony, these cubs will be made available for public viewing towards the end of August. As per the information provided by the management of Maitri Bagh Zoo, these cubs will be kept separate from the general public and external environment under the care of their mother ‘Raksha’ for the first four months.

 

On April 28 this year, the six-year-old White Tigress named ‘Raksha’ and her partner, white tiger ‘Sultan’, welcomed a three little cubs. This joyous occasion comes a year after white tigress ‘Roma’ gave birth to a tiger cub named ‘Singham,’ also fathered by ‘Sultan’. Dr N K Jain, DGM (Horticulture) expressed during conversations that witnessing the young ones up close, from their birth to adulthood, is both fortunate and enchanting. With the recent births, the total number of white tigers at Maitri Bagh has now reached nine. The cubs will be open for public viewing four months after their birth. Their official naming ceremony is scheduled for August 15. To ensure the well-being of the young cubs, they have been kept in a dimly lit enclosure, resembling a cave-like environment, to allow the mother to care for them without disturbance. With the onset of the monsoon, additional hygiene measures have been implemented to safeguard the cubs from moisture-related skin infections.

 

In 1997, a pair of young white tigers named Tarun and Tapasi was brought to Maitri Bagh from Nandankanan Zoological Park in neighboring Odisha, which subsequently gave birth to four white tiger cubs in 1999. Maitri Bagh not only excels in taking care of its animals but also actively participates in conservation and breeding efforts for white tigers. The favorable conditions here have led to continuous growth in the white tiger population. Additionally, Maitri Bagh has been in communication with more than five other zoos in India, including Mukundpur, Lucknow, Nagpur, Rajkot, and Bokaro, for exchanging information related to the breeding of white tigers.