Bhubaneswar, 8 June

A white tigress in Nandankanan Zoological Park here gave birth to two cubs including a white one, the authorities said on Sunday.

The two cubs were born inside the enclosure of the tigress named 'Mousumi' at 9.15pm and 11.03pm on Saturday.

A zoo official said the sex of the cubs could not be determined immediately since they are with their mother.

With the arrival of the new cubs, Nandankanan zoo's tiger population increased to 29 - 17 males, 10 females and 2 cubs. Of them, 19 are normal coloured tigers, six are white and four are melanistic (commonly known as black tiger).

The tigress and newborns are being closely monitored to ensure their well-being, he said.

Normal-coloured tiger Rajesh is the father of the cubs, Mousumi’s second litter.

Both parents were born at Nandankanan zoo—Mousumi on August 5, 2016 to Manish and Sneha, and Rajesh on September 22, 2018 to Roshan and Bijaya, the official said.