Pilikula's Pride: Tigress Rani Welcomes Two New Cubs, Boosting Tiger Population to 10

In a heartening development at Mangaluru's Pilikula Biological Park, 14-year-old Royal Bengal tigress Rani gave birth to two healthy cubs on December 20, 2024. This joyous event increases the park's tiger population to ten, comprising four males, four females, and the two newborns. Rani, who was brought to Pilikula from Bannerghatta Biological Park in 2016 as part of an animal exchange program, has a remarkable history of motherhood. She previously set a record by delivering five cubs in 2016 and added three more to her lineage in 2021.

The park's director, H. Jayaprakash Bhandary, confirmed that both Rani and her cubs are in good health. Special care is being administered, with the tigress receiving nutritious food and health supplements to support her recovery and nursing. The cubs are scheduled for vaccinations after one and a half months, a critical period for their health. To ensure their well-being, access to the enclosure is currently restricted to essential personnel only. The genders of the cubs will be determined after two months. This successful birth underscores Pilikula Biological Park's commitment to wildlife conservation and its role as a significant breeding center for various species.