White tiger gives birth to 4 cubs in Chennai

CHENNAI: Vandalur zoo’s nine-year-old white tigress Anu gave birth to cubs for a fourth time on Monday. With the four new cubs, the total number of tigers at the zoo has increased to 21 with a majority of 13 white tigers.Each cub weighs around 750 grams and mother’s milk will be the diet for at least three months. A few days ago, two video cameras were installed in the enclosure to monitor Anu and her behaviour. Zookeeper K Chelliah was the first person to see the cubs. After Anu conceived, it took her 105 days to deliver. This is the first time Anu has given birth to four cubs in a single delivery. “It will take at least two weeks to find the gender of the cubs. Apart from her regular diet of seven kg of beef, Anu is fed four kg of chicken,” said zoo director K S S V P Reddy, who is also the chief conservator of forests. Visitors are not allowed near Anu’s enclosure at present. Anu arrived at the zoo in 2006, along with her companion 10-year-old Bhismar, another white tiger, from New Delhi. tnn