Nandankanan white tiger numbers fall

Currently, the zoo has 28 tigers – 18 normal and 10 white. But half of the large cats have crossed their breeding age and the zoo is busy chalking out a plan to infuse new blood so as to avoid inbreeding. Of the existing 18 normal tigers, nine have crossed the breeding age of 12, another three are approaching the line while two have developed deformity. However, the status of white tigers is a little better. Seven out of 10 are still healthy enough to breed. And there is a ban on breeding of large animals. Planned breeding, with sanctions from CZA, is permitted though.

Before the tragedy struck the zoo in July 2000, when 11 tigers died within a span of four days, the population stood at 64 which was far too high a number to be managed. The big carnivores since then have either been given away or exchanged for other animals.

Now that there are just 28 of them in the animal park, the authorities have a reason to keep a very close watch on them. “We want to have a population which can be sustained and is healthy,” said A K Patnaik, Director, Nandankanan Zoo.

It’s faced with the problem of maintaining them after restricting their number to just a dozen. “We are now finding out their lineage so that inbreeding can be prevented. Moreover, a stud book is being maintained. The entire exercise is to get a population that is evenly distributed and genetically healthy,” Patnaik added.

But is not the population too small in the event of health hazards? The zoo authorities say a strong health protocol has brought down the mortality rate in the animal park and epidemic is not a worry.

Average death rate stands at 10 per cent in Indian zoos but at Nandankanan, it is less than seven, Patnaik said. To keep them healthy, the zoo is also planning to get tigers from elsewhere so that the large cats are not genetically stressed.