Tata Zoo will celebrate the birthday of youngest tiger at the zoo on April 16. The celebration will have cake cutting in the lawn near Tiger enclosure. Dona was born on April 16, 2012.
The zoo witnessed a birth of tiger cub after 12 years. last cub born in zoo was Shanti in December, 1999. Raghab, the male tiger which had sired Dona was acquired from Assam State Zoo, Guwahati in March, 010. Raghab and Shanti were then paired at Tata Zoo and as a result cub Dona was born.
Worldwide, zoos have been given the task to meet the Aichi Target-1 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which states, “By 2020 at the latest, people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainable”.
“Celebrating birthday of Dona- the youngest member of zoo tiger family is in that direction, where Tata Zoo would like to convey their commitment towards preservation of Bengal tigers in India, which has been threatened with habitat loss and rampant poaching,” say zoo authorities.
Secondly, zoo leopard, Basanti aged 8 years has given birth to a pair of cubs on 3 April in the night, the sex of which is not clear till down. She had meted with Vet also of eight years. This is the second time Basanti has given birth to cubs. last she gave birth to two cubs Jumbo and Etu in March 2009. Jumbo died in 2010 while Emu is still in Tata Zoo.