White tiger, lion cubs named in zoo
Two white tiger cubs and two Asiatic lion cubs at the National Zoological Park, New Delhi, received their official names on Thursday. The cubs are named during a detailed review visit by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh. The minister inspected key enclosures and ongoing conservation initiatives at the zoo.
The minister’s visit began at the white tiger enclosure, where he named the female cubs born in March 2024 ‘Durga’ and ‘Devi’. The cubs are the offspring of tigress Sita and male tiger Vijay. Singh formally released Durga into the public exhibit arena for the first time, allowing the cub to be viewed by visitors from Thursday.
Senior zoo officials said the minister spent considerable time at the enclosure, discussing health protocols, winter arrangements and habitat enrichment. “He wanted detailed updates about their diet, medical supervision and behavioural development,” one official said.
From there, Minister Singh moved to the Asiatic lion enclosure, where he reviewed the care of two lion cubs born in April 2025, one male and one female. He named the cubs ‘Kartik’ and ‘Karni’, born to lioness Mahagauri and lion Maheshwar. Officials said the minister enquired about their vaccination schedule, socialisation plans and the timeline for their eventual public display.
The minister then visited the elephant enclosure to assess the welfare of the zoo’s two Asian elephants, Raj Laxmi and Heera Gaj. He inspected the animals’ winter preparedness, including heating arrangements, enclosure flooring and nutrition requirements during the cold season. He also spoke to keepers about behavioural monitoring and exercise routines.
A key stop on his tour was the zoo hospital, where a Royal Bengal tiger cub born in July 2025 is currently under medical supervision. The minister reviewed its health status, treatment plan and growth progress. Zoo veterinarians briefed him on the cub’s condition, vaccination, feeding pattern and the precautions being taken before shifting it to an outdoor holding area.
Singh also offered several recommendations to strengthen winter management, particularly for big cats, elephants and neonatal animals. He asked the zoo administration to enhance enclosure insulation, upgrade heating systems and increase the frequency of health checks during night hours. He further discussed upcoming welfare initiatives, including improved visitor facilities, redesigned interpretation panels and expansion of conservation outreach programmes.
Zoo officials said the minister emphasised the need for sustained public engagement and scientific wildlife management. “He was clear that the zoo must function not only as a recreational space but as a centre of conservation learning for children and young visitors,” an official briefed on the visit said.
The National Zoological Park currently houses six white tigers (2 male, 4 female), Sita, Vijay Jr, Vyom, Avni and the newly named cubs Durga and Devi; six lions (3 male, 3 female), including Sundram, Shailza, Maheshwar and Mahagauri; and eight Royal Bengal tigers (3 male, 4 female and 1 cub), Karan, Siddhi, Aditi, Dhairya, Dhatri, Hari, Sanatan and the July-born cub.
