New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) The white tiger cub which died at the Delhi zoo on Sunday did not show any sign of infection or common diseases, officials said on Thursday, citing a report.
This suggests that the cub died from genetic problems associated with inbreeding, an official told PTI on condition of anonymity.
The report received from the India Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, rules out infection and common diseases, a second official said.
Seven-year-old tigress Sita had given birth to three cubs — two males and a female — on August 24. One of the male cubs died on Sunday. Zoo officials said he was limping on his rear legs. The two other cubs have been showing similar symptoms.
The official quoted above explained that white tigers are not a species but a result of a genetic mutation. They are produced when two Bengal tigers having rare recessive forms of a gene, called alleles, breed.
To maintain a population of white tigers, captive tigers with regressive alleles are inbred over multiple generations which often results in genetic problems, he said.
Neonatal mortality among white tigers is high due to inbreeding, the official said. PTI GVS RCJ
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