Patna Zoological Park had reason to celebrate in July after tigress Swarna gave birth to three cubs. Just a month later, however, there is a pall of gloom here after one cub died Tuesday and two others battle severe infection.
On Aug 15, an Asiatic lion cub had died in the Patna Zoo after being injured by its mother.
“One of the tiger cubs died due to severe infection Tuesday night. Two others are critically ill,” a zoo official said.
Zoo director Abhay Kumar said his team was doing everything possible to save the cubs. “They are under constant expert supervision,” Kumar said.
Abhijit Bhawal, a doctor from the Wildlife Trust of India, Guwahati, has been called to treat the cubs.
Zoo officials as well visitors were thrilled when the cubs were born in July.
The birth of these three cubs made national news as it was after 19 years that a tigress had given birth here.
The last births of tiger cubs at the Patna zoo was in 1993. Breeding of tigers in captivity is extremely rare, a zoo official said.
Last year, two tigers and a tigress were brought here from the Hyderabad zoo.