Siliguri, April 14 -- There is an atmosphere of celebration at the Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri with the advent of a new guest.
The Royal Bengal Tigress Sheela has given birth to five cubs at the park. The cubs along with the mother are in the best of health and spirits.
The Forest department is overjoyed with the birth of the cubs. According to sources, Sheela gave birth to the cubs at the end of March. They are all under night shelter and observation by doctors.
"Sheela and her cubs are healthy. They are under special observation. We are delighted after getting the news," said Birbaha Hansda, minister of Forest department, Government of West Bengal.
The mother and cubs will be at night shelter for the next three months. Visitors won't be able to see them during this period. A team of vets is observing them. Beef, chicken, buffalo meat, meat soup and vitamins are being given to Sheela for sufficient milk production. Fans and ice cubes have been arranged to beat the heat. Surveillance is being maintained through CCTV cameras.
In February 2016, Bengal Safari Park welcomed two Royal Bengal tigers, Sheela and Snehashish, from Nandankanan in Odisha. They later gave birth to four cubs, one of which was a rare white tiger.
By the end of 2018, Snehashih was transferred to Alipore Zoo, while Vivan, another Royal Bengal Tiger, was brought to Bengal Safari Park from Tata Steel Zoological Park in Jharkhand.
Sheela and Vivan gave birth to more cubs. Currently, there are a total of 18 Royal Bengal Tigers at the park. In 2018, Sheela first gave birth to three cubs. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee then named them Kika, Rika and Ika. Later, Ika died. Kika and Rika remain. Slowly, she has given birth to more cubs.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.