Tigress Ankita gives birth to cub at Nandankanan Zoo, total population reaches 28

In an exciting development for animal lovers and wildlife enthusiasts, tigress Ankita gave birth to a cub on Monday at the Nandankanan Zoological Park located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

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With this, the total number of tigers in the zoo reached 28.

The 13-year-old Ankita and her newborn are said to be in good health, with zoo authorities ensuring their wellbeing through 24-hour CCTV surveillance. The event marks another noteworthy addition to the conservation efforts within the park, which is renowned for its dedication to wildlife preservation in India.

Tiger cubs born in the zoo in recent past

Worth mentioning, earlier on November 2, 2024, white tigress Rupa had given birth to four cubs in her enclosure in the Nandankanan Zoological Park. However, a tiger cub died on January 15 at Nandankanan, marking a sombre moment for the facility. The cub had been under veterinary care since becoming unwell on January 12.

This cub was part of a litter of four, born to tigress Rupa and her mate Krishna. Following this loss, zoo officials vigilantly observed the health of the remaining cubs to ensure their well-being.

This was Rupa’s third litter and the cubs were born to Rupa and a melanistic tiger named Krishna. In her first litter, Rupa had mated with tiger Rajesh and given birth to three cubs in 2022. In the second litter, she again sired with Rajesh and gave birth to two cubs.

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Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) is a 437-hectare (1,080-acre) zoo and botanical garden in Odisha. Established in 1960, it was opened for public visit in 1979 and became the first zoo in India to join the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in 2009.