Tigress Meera gives birth to 3 cubs at Kheoni sanctuary

Indore: The Kheoni wildlife sanctuary in Dewas welcomed new members to its habitat after tigress Meera gave birth to three healthy cubs, an event hailed as a milestone for the sanctuary's local ecosystem.The presence of the cubs was officially confirmed through camera trap footage in which the three tiny cubs are seen feeding on prey, signalling that they are healthy and beginning to adapt to the wild.The cubs are offspring of Meera and Yuvraj. According to sanctuary superintendent Vikash Mahorey, the birth occurred approximately four months ago. During this period, the tigress remained elusive and vigilant to protect her young. "Now that the cubs have grown enough to start consuming solid food, Meera's ‘secret' was finally caught on camera," Mahorey said.DFO Amit Singh said that successful breeding indicates a healthy prey base and a secure environment within the 134-sq-km sanctuary. Following the confirmation of the cubs' movement, round-the-clock monitoring of the area was initiated to track movement of the tigress and her cubs.The sanctuary is currently home to approximately 12 tigers. Its ecosystem also supports diverse fauna, including sloth bears, hyenas, jackals, leopards, and wild cats, along with chital, sambar, and chousingha among herbivorous animals.