White tigress, cub die due to birth complications at Delhi zoo

One of her cubs also could not survive. The remaining one is being hand reared in the veterinary hospital by a dedicated team and best possible care is being extended.

A white tigress and a cub died at the Delhi zoo on Monday due to birth-related complications, officials said.

Before white tigress Nirbhaya’s death, the Delhi zoo had three pairs of white tigers. (Shankar Mourya/HT representative image)

The six-year-old feline, Nirbhaya, gave birth to two cubs on Thursday morning. However, she started developing complications after 24 hours due to her inability to release the remaining cub, Delhi zoo Director Ramesh Pandey said.

A group of veterinary doctors and staff attended to the animal in consultation with experts from other zoos and Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, he said.

Subsequently, a three-hour-long C-section surgery was conducted on the tigress on Saturday evening. It was found that her uterus had ruptured and the carcass of the cub was floating in the peritoneal cavity.

It apparently caused severe infection in the body parts and toxemia (blood poisoning by toxins), Pandey said.

Nirbhaya responded to the surgery for more than 24 hours due to intensive care and best possible treatment given to her. However, her condition deteriorated subsequently. She succumbed to her severe illness at around 1.34 am on Monday, he said.

One of her cubs also could not survive. The remaining one is being hand reared in the veterinary hospital by a dedicated team and best possible care is being extended.

Detailed cause of death would be ascertained after post-mortem and visceral examination, the zoo director said.

Before Nirbhaya’s death, the Delhi zoo had three pairs of white tigers.