One of the three white tiger cubs born at the Delhi zoo earlier this year has died, zoo authorities said. The white tiger cubs were born in August after a gap of nearly seven years. Zoo director Akanksha Mahajan said that the cub died on December 18. “It was showing signs of limping in the left leg and was given supplements. But then the hind portion of the cub was not functioning last week. We began giving medication and laser therapy…but then it collapsed Sunday morning,” Mahajan said. Of the three cubs, another cub has also shown similar signs of limping and its hind portion has not been working effectively, she said. Blood samples have been sent for examination to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, and the reports are awaited, Mahajan said. “The report will be able to tell us if it’s a pathological problem or a genetic one. There are two probabilities — it could be a viral or bacterial disease, or it could be a genetic issue. This can be diagnosed only once the blood report is available. We have prophylactically started medication with antibiotics for the second cub. We sent one report to the local path lab in addition to the one sent to Bareilly. In the report from the local lab, there was an increased leukocyte count. Usually, when there is an infection in the body, the total leucocyte count increases. It is responding to this treatment, but continues to limp,” Mahajan said. The local lab result has helped rule out leptospirosis, she said. “Leptospirosis is common in big cats. There’s also canine distemper…but that has different symptoms like swelling of the facial portion. These symptoms have not been observed. If it is not pathological, it could be genetic…white tigers have recessive alleles and inbreeding depression usually takes place. Because of this, there can be genetic anomalies sometimes…congenital defects. If the lab results don’t show a pathological issue, we’ll take up a genetic analysis,” Mahajan said. The Delhi zoo participates in the conservation breeding of tigers. The three cubs were born to Sita, a seven-year-old white tigress, and Vijay, a white tiger that was brought to the Delhi zoo from Lucknow a few years ago. The births in August had taken the number of tigers at the zoo to 11. Of these, seven, including the cubs, are white.
