Siliguri: Bengal Safari Park authorities are happy with the arrival of three tiger cubs. Following the deaths of two cubs of white tiger Kika, the Safari authorities were pinning hopes on tigress Rika, which gave birth to three royal cubs. After the birth of three cubs, the Safari Park authorities heaved a sigh of relief. It may be noted that tigress Kika is the sister of Rika.
West Bengal Forest Minister Jyotipriya Mallik made an announcement about the birth of the three cubs on Saturday. Tigress Rika gave birth to the three cubs on August 19, but the announcement was made on Saturday. Recently, the white tiger Kika had given birth to two cubs. As Kika was suffering from canine distemper infection, her two cubs were also born with various complications and later both the cubs died.
The five-year-old Rika gave birth to three cubs for the first time. Forest Minister Jyotipriya Mallick, state's chief wildlife warden Debal Roy, Zoo Authority member secretary Saurabh Chakraborty, additional chief forest officer (wildlife) Ujjal Ghosh and chief forest officer (wildlife, north Bengal) Rajendra Zakhar visited the Bengal Safari Park on Saturday.
Also read: International Tiger Day: 2-year-old tigress found dead in Corbett Tiger Reserve
The Forest Minister said, "The three cubs are healthy. Mother Rika is also fine. For now, they have been kept under monitoring at the night shelter." According to sources in Bengal Safari Park, surveillance is being done on the tigress and its three cubs with the help of CCTV cameras. A special diet plan has been prepared for tigress Rika.
It is also learnt that Bengal Safari Park has now received permission to bring four lions. The four lions will be brought from Gir National Park in Gujarat. Black Panther will also be brought. A 40-hectare enclosure has been constructed for the lions. The lions are expected to arrive in December. Several more Royal Bengal tigers will also be brought, along with zebras and giraffes. Gibbons, snakes and waterfowl will be brought to the Safari. The work on constructing the enclosures for the animals has begun.
