Tiger Population In Odisha’s Nandankanan Rises To 28 As Ankita Gives Birth To Cub

Bhubaneswar: Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar welcomed a new member to its tiger family on Monday with normal-coloured tigress Ankita giving birth to a cub.

Both the mother and the newborn cub are currently under CCTV surveillance to ensure their well-being.

As per sources, the birth occurred after a 103-day gestation period, with the cub sired by tiger Saif. The mating between the pair was observed on November 13, 2024.

With this latest birth, the total tiger population at the Nandankanan Zoo now stands at 28, comprising 16 males, 11 females, and one cub whose sex is yet to be determined.

Ankita, born on January 13, 2012, to tigers Rishi and Sara at Nandankanan, has now delivered eight offspring across three litters. Her first litter, born on January 12, 2018, consisted of a male cub who died after a day and a female cub named Silky. Her second litter, born on February 17, 2023, included one male cub (Amit), three female cubs (Shree, Jayashree, Trupti), and one stillborn cub.

Among her total offspring, two have died, four are surviving, and two have been relocated—Silky was transferred to Jaipur Zoo in March 2021, while Trupti was moved to Alipore Zoo, Kolkata, in August 2024.