SGNP gears up to welcome tiger cubs after 9 years

Officials at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli, are counting days to the tigress Bijli's delivery and welcoming tiger cubs in the park after nine years.

A senior official at SGNP said, "Bijli's health is being monitored round the clock through cameras fitted in her cage, which is covered from all sides to resemble a den. As she was not eating well recently, we have been giving her multi vitamins and other supplements."

Tigers have a gestation period of about three and half months. As per officials, Bijli has completed around 96 days already.

The first three months after birth of the cubs are crucial. "Big cats are known to suddenly abandon or even kill their cubs. Sometimes, due to weak immunity, litters don't survive." As they prepare to welcome the cubs, they have set protocols in place, that includes allowing no visitors, including VIPs, to see the newborn cubs to avoid any kind of infection.

Bijli along with another tigress Mastani was brought from Pench to SGNP in July last year. Both these were raised in a barricaded enclosure created at Pench with an intention to introduce them into the wild. However, after several attempts failed, a decision was taken to send these eight-year-old cats to SGNP as the park needed to increase their captive tiger population at the park, but and address the major concern of in-breeding among the present lot that could lead to a weaker race.

Bijli mated with tiger Yash earlier this year. Now, as they await for their cubs, officials are also hopeful that the other couple Mastani and Anand, too, would give SGNP reasons to cheer soon.