Siliguri: Three Royal Bengal Tiger cubs died after being bitten by the mother at Bengal Safari Park here. The shocking development has led to an uproar in the forest department, although authorities were tight-lipped. Fingers are being pointed to the role of park authorities.
The death comes on the close heels of the sad demise of Lakshmi, a pachyderm, due to age-related ailments. The back-to-back deaths prompted park authorities to initiate the work of 'capacity building' of zookeepers to improve services.
This is not the first death of a cub due to the mother's mishandling in the park as two cubs died after a white tigress kicked them in August 2023. Investigators gave a clean chit to the zookeepers.
Sources placed at the park said last week, a Royal Bengal Tiger, Rika, gave birth to three cubs, which brought delight to the park authorities. However, two days later, while trying to move her cubs to the night shelter, they were bitten on the neck by the mother. The trachea of the cubs was punctured, two of which died instantaneously and the third could not be retrieved despite the authority's best possible treatment.
"Rika gave birth to three cubs for the second time. Rika, who has some physical problems, is not as experienced as Sheela. She inadvertently bit her cubs while moving them by catching them in the neck. As a result, the trachea was punctured and a deep wound was inflicted on the neck. That is why the three cubs died," Saurabh Chowdhury, secretary of state zoo authority, said.
"Rika accidentally killed her three cubs. However, everything is being investigated," park director Vijay Kumar said.
Bengal Safari Park set a precedent in tiger breeding. In April, a Royal Bengal Tiger couple, Sheela and Bivan, gave birth to five cubs there. However, after the death of these three cubs, questions about the role of the park are on the rise.
Incidentally, two Royal Bengal Tigers were sent to Hyderabad, two to Alipore Zoo in Kolkata, two to Sepahijala Zoo in Tripura and two to Harinalaya Zoo from Bengal Safari Park under the animal exchange programme. Currently, there are nine tigers in Bengal Safari Park.
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