White tigress dies after delivering stillborn cubs in Delhi Zoo

New Delhi: The Delhi Zoo lost yet another striped cat last week when a white tigress died of septicaemia contracted after delivering four cubs. The eight-year-old tigress, Khushi, died last Thursday.

"She (tigress) managed to deliver one live cub last Monday while two were stillborn. Another one was stuck inside her womb, which caused the infection," Curator of Delhi Zoo, R A Khan said. The cub, which was delivered alive, died after a few hours, he said. "We tried our best to save Khushi, putting her on medication all throughout the delivery process. She was under stress while trying to deliver the last cub, nor was she allowing us to remove the other cubs," Khan said. The tigress` condition deteriorated soon after the last cub was taken out dead. "It is a sad incident for us given that we lost them just after the death of a tiger and a tigress," Khan said. Earlier, the Delhi Zoo had lost a Royal Bengal tiger and a tigress to old age complications. "We have six white tigers and three Royal Bengal tigers at present. We are trying to increase the number through inbreeding," the official said. The Delhi Zoo is also planning to acquire a male rhino from the Patna Zoo, besides getting a rhino, named Shiva, from the Jijamata Udyan in Mumbai. PTI