The Delhi Zoological Park will celebrate the birthday of two white tiger cubs who will turn one on Saturday (August 26), the officials said.
The two cubs, named Avni and Vyom, will be served a special meal comprising various red meat forms.
Three cubs were born to white tigress Sita and white tiger Vijay 2 on August 26, 2022. However, one died on December 18 after which the two others were left. Sita, the mother, was born in 2015 and she gave birth to the cubs after seven years, marking a success for the breeding tigers.
The birthday party will begin with the ceremonial cake cutting by zoo director Akanksha Mahajan followed by hide and seek game for the cubs. The schoolchildren will also be invited to attend the party and will be called upon aiming to promote wildlife conservation, officials said.
The cut-outs of both cubs will be used to decorate the white tiger enclosure, thus making it a selfie point, they added.
According to the zoo director, some meat pieces will be hidden under soil or hung in a jute bag so that the cubs will be able to smell and look for it.
According to another official, the cubs may be fed in the open enclosure on their birthday, as against the daily routine of serving them at the back of their enclosure.
According to the officials, the duo was released in an enclosure for public viewing for the first time on April 20 this year by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav by whom they were named.
The White tigers are white as they have a deficiency of the pigment pheomelanin. There are five white tigers currently at the Delhi zoo.
The zoo has organised special feasts for animals in the past also on important days like World Elephant Day.
The zoo presents is home to 11 tigers, including Royal Bengal tigers.
