Triplets take tiger count to 7 at Bengal Safari

Siliguri: The Royal Bengal Tiger population at North Bengal Wild Animals Park in Salugara, near Siliguri, leaped to seven on Wednesday morning as tigress Sheela gave birth to triplets, for the second time since 2018.

Park director Dharmdeo Rai said the cubs were born between 4.45am and 7.20am. The wildlife park — better known as Bengal Safari — is now home to Sheela, her beau Vivian, her cubs Rika and Kika, and the three new bundles of joy.

“The gender of the three cubs is not known yet because park guardians are not venturing too close to Sheela, who is now understandably overprotective. All we can say is the mother and babies are doing well,” Rai added.

State tourism minister Gautam Deb confirmed the news. “Three cubs were born at Bengal Safari on Wednesday. We have informed the chief minister who has expressed her joy,” he said.

Located around 11km from Siliguri, off NH-31, and geographically in Jalpaiguri district, the 290-hectare Bengal Safari is the first-of-its-kind wildlife park in the region.

Vivian, the father of the triplets, was brought here from Tata Steel Zoological Park in Jamshedpur a couple of years ago. Sheela was then two and a half years old and her former partner Snehasish two. Both had been brought to Bengal Safari from Alipore zoo in Kolkata in 2016. They were born at Nandankanan, Odisha.

In 2018, Sheela and Snehasish had had triplets, including an Albino. The chief minister named the three female cubs Rika, Kika (the Albino) and Ika. At five months, Ika sadly died at the park. Snehasish returned to Alipore zoo in 2018 for a breeding programme after Vivian arrived at Bengal Safari.

“The forest department has managed to give a natural habitat to the tigers. It is highly commendable. The authorities should now allow captive breeding at other places too, keeping in mind the dwindling tiger population,” said Animesh Basu, a member of the state wildlife advisory board.