White tiger cub dies at Delhi Zoo

A white tiger cub has died at the National Zoological Park here within a month of its birth. The tiger cub - one of twins born on January 12 - was weak since birth, officials at the Delhi Zoo said.

A white tiger cub has died at the National Zoological Park here within a month of its birth. The tiger cub - one of twins born on January 12 - was weak since birth, officials at the Delhi Zoo said.

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The cub was so small that the zoo officials had not even ascertained its gender. Along with its twin, it was the first time in five years that the zoo had crossed a white tiger as part of a conservation breeding programme.

The tiger cub had been sent to the zoo's veterinary hospital on January 31, after keepers noticed there was not much movement.

"The cub was weak since birth, it had low birth weight and had certain abnormalities because of which the infant would not move around much and keep to itself," a zoo official said.

"It died on Friday. The post-mortem exam revealed that the cub had flat ribs and other deformities. We had not allowed anybody to venture anywhere near it," said Riaz Khan, zoo's curator (education). "The second cub born on January 12 is doing fine," Khan said.