White Tigress Riddhi dies in MP’s Van Vihar

Bhopal, Sep 19 : The only white tigress, who has been the glory of Madhya Pradesh's wildlife, was found dead at Van Vihar in Bhopal, official said on Thursday.

Wildlife lovers and the regular visitors at Van Vihar will miss the tigress as she was one the main wildlife animals displayed in an enclosure for visitors at the park.

She used to be popularly known as Riddhi. As per the official statement, she has been ill for a few days and was found lying dead in its enclosure at the national park on Thursday.

Official sources at Van Vihar told IANS that Tigress Riddhi had stopped consuming regular meals and was kept in observation. However, she appeared normal in its housing area on Wednesday, officials said.

Riddhi was brought to Bhopal's Van Vihar from Indore Zoo on December 28, 2013, under the animal exchange programme. At the time of transfer, she was around 4 years old and had now reached the age of around 15 years.

"The tigress had not taken her regular meals for the last two days, which was a normal practice for her. She appeared normal in her enclosure till Wednesday, but on Thursday, the animal was found unconscious,'' said the park's wildlife veterinarian, Atul Gupta.

A post-mortem examination was conducted by a team of veterinarians, including Dr Atul Gupta from Van Vihar, Dr Hamza Nadeem Farooqui, assistant wildlife veterinarian and Dr Rajat Kulkarni from Wildlife SOS.

The preliminary cause of death was identified as organ failure due to old age. Samples from the tigress were collected and sent to the School of Wildlife Forensic Health in Jabalpur for further analysis.

Following the post-mortem, the tigress was cremated as per protocol in the presence of the conservator of forests, Bhopal Circle, the director of Van Vihar and other officials and staff members.

Tigers normally have a lifespan of 15 to 16 years in the wild. In captivity, they survive longer due to the protected environment and care provided, according to wildlife experts.

There are only 15 tigers left at the Van Vihar National Park.