He is currently the National Zoological Park’s best kept secret. And the Delhi Zoo officials are more than happy to let it stay that way.
Their four-month-old white tiger cub Sarvan – the Delhi Zoo’s youngest white tiger cub – is tucked away in the Zoo’s hospital and is being monitored closely by his handler and the Zoo officials.
The only surviving white tiger cub among the litter of six that Kalpana (Zoo’s female white tiger) gave birth to on January 20, little Sarvan is currently being ‘prepared’ to go on public display.
“His health is of prime importance right now. Nothing else really matters,” explained Zoo veterinary officer Dr. Panneer Selvam.
The Zoo is home to about 1,350 animals representing almost 130 species of animals and birds from around the world.
“However, this cub is currently occupying our special attention. His siblings died one after another because of the extreme cold that the city was witnessing in January. The cubs developed lung infection and despite our best efforts could not be saved,” noted Dr. Selvam.
Sarvan was moved to the zoo hospital on January 22 and since then has been brought up on a diet of goat milk, later shifting to chicken soup, cooked chicken and is now on a partially cooked chicken diet.
“The cub will soon be offered beef soup, cooked beef, partially cooked beef and then raw beef before being shifted to an animal enclosure for public display,” explained Dr. Selvam.
Stating that it will take the cub at least two more months to ‘settle in’ and be allowed independently into an enclosure, Dr. Selvam said: “We have five white tigers in the Zoo. Sarvan may be shifted into an independent enclosure when he is ready. We are also looking at exchanging two of our male white tigers for other animals to add variety to the Zoo.”
“As for Sarvan, he is growing up fast and is also becoming a bit mischievous. He is playing pounce these days,’’ said a laughing Dr. Selvam.
