Final week, when three new child tiger cubs died at Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri, West Bengal, after their mom unintentionally bit them on their necks whereas attempting to shift them to the evening shelter by grabbing them in her mouth, many puzzled how and why it occurred.
Specialists, nevertheless, imagine that stress and inexperience of Rika, the mom tiger, might need led to the tragic episode.
“Such incidents are tragic. In captivity, such incidents occur generally. There are numerous selections within the wild. In captivity, the realm is proscribed and infrequently the mom is harassed,” Sourav Choudhury, member secretary, West Bengal Zoo Authority, informed The Indian Categorical.
“Not all feminine tigers do that. It relies on the psychology of that individual animal. Rika is inexperienced and could also be underneath stress,” Choudhury added. Rika, who in response to zoo officers is now in mourning, had equally injured her cubs final 12 months. However because the cubs had been a month previous, they could possibly be saved.
“Final 12 months additionally, Rika gave start to 3 cubs. She injured them whereas shifting them. The cubs had deep wounds. Since they had been one-month-old, they could possibly be saved. This time, the cubs had been simply a few days previous and their skins had been delicate,” stated Choudhury.
On November 5, simply days after Rika gave start to 3 cubs, she tried to maneuver them to the evening shelter by grabbing them in her mouth.
It’s purported to be a “mock chew” (feigned or free chew used both throughout play or carrying cubs). However, in response to the officers on the Park, Rika’s enamel punctured the windpipe of the cubs, resulting in their deaths.
“Such incidents are positively extra seen in captivity,” stated M Okay V Ashraf, chief veterinary officer (Wildlife Belief of India). “Whereas lifting the cubs it’s anticipated to be a mock chew. However generally, unintentionally extreme strain is utilized.”
Concurring with Choudhury, Ashraf stated: “There should be some disturbance or stress, which precipitated Rika to behave like this (often shifting the cubs from one place to a different).”
“There isn’t a foolproof scientific methodology to gauge or cease this. Nevertheless, in my expertise I’ve seen such animal behaviour. Whereas giving start in captivity, there’s stress and psychological strain which the mom feels. Already bodily drained, she may have felt that somebody would hurt her cubs and due to this fact determined to maneuver them to the shelter,” stated Assistant Director (Animal Sources Division, Jhargram) Chanchal Datta.
In accordance with forest division officers, Rika’s present behaviour exhibits that she is mourning and is anxious as she couldn’t discover her cubs anymore.
“For my part one solution to keep away from that is to restrict the house. Anticipating feminine tigers must be stored in smaller dens, as a substitute of huge enclosures. This restricts their motion. They need to be confined in small darkish locations,” Chief Veterinary Officer (Wildlife Belief of India) Ashraf stated.
“Now we have launched Rika in a big enclosure, and particular care is being taken together with giving her dietary supplements and particular weight loss plan,” E Vijaykumar, Director, Bengal Safari Park, informed The Indian Categorical over the telephone.
As per Datta, anticipating feminine tigers should not have any contact with people.
“Zero contact with people, even zoo keepers must be restricted from approaching the would-be mom. Meals must be stored in a separate place when the animal shouldn’t be there. Solely surveillance by CCTV must be allowed,” Datta added.
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