BMC christens penguin chick, tiger cub as Oscar and Veera at Byculla Zoo

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday christened a Humboldt penguin chick and a tiger cub born in Veermata Jijabai Bhonsale Udyan, popularly known as Byculla Zoo

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday christened a Humboldt penguin chick and a tiger cub born in Veermata Jijabai Bhonsale Udyan, popularly known as Byculla Zoo.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday christened a Humboldt penguin chick and a tiger cub born in Veermata Jijabai Bhonsale Udyan (BMC)

Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar named the penguin chick Oscar, while the cub was christened as Veera. The announcement was made by the Mumbai mayor at the Byculla zoo on Tuesday, along with a cake cutting ceremony.

The cub was born on November 14 to a pair of Bengal tigers - Shakti, who is the male, and Karishma, who is the female. The Humboldt penguin chick born to penguins Molt and Flipper on August 18 has been named Oscar.

Pednekar said, “The cub Veera is now two months old. The mother Karishma and her cub are both healthy and active, and she is very attentive towards her cub. The cub will be closely monitored by veterinarians from the zoo until she is six months old. Apart from zoo vets, no one else is allowed near her. The vets will complete her vaccination and deworming doses.”

The pair of Bengal tigers Shakti and Karishma were brought to the Byculla Zoo from Aurangabad’s Siddharth Garden Zoo on February 12, 2020. They have been housed in the tiger enclosure at the Byculla Zoo, especially designed keeping in mind the natural habitat of tigers, including a waterfall, dense plantation, and a viewing glass.

Another penguin chick born on May 1 2021, was named Oreo by the zoo authorities in September 2021. This chick was born to another pair of Humboldt penguins Donal who is the male, and Daisy, who is the female.