Bengali tiger born at zoo

Want to see it?

The public can see the Bengali tiger cub tomorrow from 11 to 11.30 am

A Bengali tiger cub was born at the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens last Friday around 7.30 am. A female tiger among the three brought to the country under an animal exchange program with Shiyenjiyen Safari Gardens in China is the cub’s mother.

National Zoological Gardens Department Director Bashwara Senanka Gunaratne said that the tigress is refusing to feed the cub and as a result they are feeding it with prepared milk. Three cubs born in June died.

According to Gunaratne refusing to feed cubs is a natural incident in a zoological garden environment. Various strategies were taken to provide incentives to the tigress to feed its cub and build a close relationship between the mother and her cub. “However, the tigress continues to reject the cub. Therefore the cub is placed under special care to ensure its survival. The milk is provided to the cub according to a special menu. The Department hopes to allow the media and spectators to see the cub on October 26 from 11 to 11.30am,” he said.