Agartala, May 22 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday expressed happiness over the birth of three tiger cubs at the state's Sepahijala Zoo and Wildlife Sanctuary, the first in the zoo's 53-year history.

The Chief Minister in a social media post said: 'Exciting news'Future kings and queens of the forest arrive in Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary. A tigress in Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary has given birth to three adorable cubs. Let's give a warm welcome to these little bundles of joy and wish them a safe and thriving life in the wild.'

Sepahijala Zoo and Wildlife Sanctuary Director Biswajit Das on Thursday said that a tigress in the zoo enclosures gave birth to three healthy tiger cubs on May 11, and the mother tigress and her newborn cubs are doing well inside the enclosure.

He said that as part of precautionary measures, the male tiger has been shifted to the other enclosure. A dozen Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras have been installed in and around the enclosure to monitor round-the-clock the behaviour and other activities of the first-time mother and her cubs.

While talking to IANS, Das earlier said that this is for the first time in the history of the Sepahijala Zoo, a tigress in the enclosures gave birth to three tiger cubs after the zoo was set up in 1972.

He had said that after the birth of the three cubs, the number of big cats in Sepahijala Zoo increased to five. The official said that under the animal exchange programme, a pair of tigers was brought to the Sepahijala Zoo from West Bengal in February last year.

To prevent disturbance to the tigress and her cubs, tourists and other wildlife enthusiasts are not being allowed to visit near the enclosure.

The Zoo Director had said that balanced and nutritious foods, including fresh meat, are being given to the tigress. Healthy soups are being given to the new mother a number of times every day so that the cubs get enough milk from the tigress.

Forest, Science and Technology and Environment Minister Animesh Debbarma expressed his happiness over the birth of three tiger cubs in the Sepahijala Zoo.

'Birth of three cubs is an optimistic indication for tiger conservation efforts at the zoo,' the Minister had told IANS and informed that his department has been making continuous efforts to make Sepahijala Zoo a world-class animal conservation hub.

'We need the support of the Central Zoo Authority to train our people and financial support from the Central government to further develop the zoo,' the minister said.

The Sepahijala Zoo and Wildlife Sanctuary, which covers an area of about 18.53 square km and is located 35 km south of Agartala city, is one of the important tourist destinations in the northeastern state.

In 2024-25, over 1.70 lakh tourists from the state and other parts of the country visited the Sepahijala Zoo and Wildlife Sanctuary, an official said.

/IANS