In a joyous addition to a zoo park in eastern India’s Odisha, white tigress Rupa gave birth to four healthy cubs. This marks her third litter, with each cub arriving at intervals early this morning, fathered by Krishna, a melanistic tiger.

The incident took place at Nandankanan Zoological Park, which is located in the Chandaka-Dampada Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhubaneswar on November 2.

Visual showed a heartwarming scene of the newly maternal tigress Rupa caring for her four newborn cubs. The tiny, fluffy cubs are playfully exploring around their mother, their playful antics showcasing their curiosity and vitality. They nuzzle close to her, eager for nourishment and affection.

According to reports, the cubs, born at intervals between 5:43 AM and 9:31 AM, were fathered by Krishna, a melanistic tiger, adding a unique genetic blend to the tiger lineage at the zoo. Rupa, who turned six this September, is caring for her cubs independently, so they have not been separated for sex determination. To ensure their well-being, the mother and her cubs are under continuous CCTV surveillance.

Rupa has an impressive history at Nandankanan, where she was born on September 22, 2018, to Roshan and Bijaya. This new litter follows her first two. Her initial litter with tiger Rajesh produced three cubs on March 11, 2022, although only one cub, named Himanshi, survived and was later transferred to Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park in July 2024. In her second litter with Rajesh, she gave birth to two healthy cubs, Amrita and Shiva, on January 6, 2023, who remain at Nandankanan.

The zoo administration expressed happiness at the successful birth of Rupa’s third litter, which is being closely monitored to ensure the cubs’ health and growth. This birth event not only contributes to the park’s tiger population but also supports broader conservation and breeding initiatives.