Nine-month-old white tiger cub dies of pneumonia, fracture

Officials said the cubs under treatment suffered hind limb fractures while playing among themselves and that all three of them showed signs of deformity since birth

New Delhi

Tigers are born white due to an absence of pheomelanin, which gives Royal Bengal tigers their distinct orange hue (Representative photo)

A nine-month-old white tiger cub at the Delhi Zoological Park died four days ago after contracting pneumonia preceded by limb fracture and bone-related complications, zoo director Sanjeet Kumar said on Wednesday.

Kumar said three female cubs were under treatment and observation since September, and one of them died.

“White tiger cub had both limb fracture and bone-related complications and died due to traumatic shock and acute pneumonia. As a precautionary measure to safeguard other cubs, samples have been sent to the lab for further investigation,” he said.

Officials said the cubs under treatment suffered hind limb fractures while playing among themselves and that all three of them showed signs of deformity since birth. “White tigers are prone to genetic issues,” a zoo official, who wished not to be named, said.

The official said white tigers needed extra care in their formative years.

Some tigers are born white due to an absence of pheomelanin, which gives Royal Bengal tigers their distinct orange hue.

At present, Delhi zoo has six white tigers, including four cubs, which are among the most popular attractions, zoo officials said.

Agni and Vyom, two white tiger cubs, who were born in August 2022, were the first successful result of white tiger breeding in seven years at the Delhi zoo and were born to a white tigress named Sita and white tiger Vijay, the zoo official said. Three more tiger cubs were born in March 2024, the official said.