Rajkot's Pradhyuman Zoo welcomes 2 white tiger cubs

Rajkot: At Pradhyuman Zoological Park, operated by the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC), a white tigress named Kaveri gave birth to two cubs on March 30. Both cubs have survived and remain under the supervision of zoo authorities.

Officials reported that Kaveri conceived through captive breeding with a male tiger, Diwakar, and delivered the cubs after a 105-day pregnancy. She had previously given birth to two cubs in Dec 2022. Over the past decade, the zoo's three tigresses—Yashodhara, Gayatri, and Kaveri—along with a lone male tiger, have produced a total of 17 cubs.

Zoo authorities attribute this successful breeding program to the facility's forest-like environment. With the recent additions, the white tiger population at the zoo has now reached 10, consisting of three males, five females, and two cubs.

As part of its animal exchange program, the Rajkot Zoo has provided white tigers to several zoos across India, including Kankaria Zoo in Ahmedabad, Chhatbir Zoo in Punjab, Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park in Pune, Indroda Nature Park in Gandhinagar, Dr. Shyama Prasad Zoological Garden in Surat, and Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh.

Currently, the Rajkot Zoo houses 592 wild animals and birds representing 65 species. It remains a major attraction, drawing over 7,00,000 visitors annually from across Gujarat.