Bhubaneswar: Tigress Jayasree at Nandankanan Zoological Park gave birth to three cubs in her first litter, but only one cub has survived, zoo authorities said on Sunday.

According to an official statement, the three-year-old normal-coloured tigress delivered the cubs on December 27, 2025, after a gestation period of 101 days. Jayasree had mated with normal-coloured tiger Amit, with the mating period recorded between September 15 and 17, 2025.

Zoo officials said that as this was Jayasree’s first delivery, she appeared to lack sufficient maternal instinct and was unable to properly care for the newborns.

The first cub was born at 11:55 pm. As the tigress did not attend to the cub, it was immediately shifted to the Neonatal Care Unit and kept under close observation by veterinary doctors.

The second cub was delivered at around 3:34 pm and was reported to be extremely weak at birth. During handling, the tigress accidentally rolled over the cub, causing serious injuries. Although the cub was separated immediately, it died on the spot due to the injuries.

The third cub was born at 4:55 pm, but the tigress consumed it soon after birth, the statement said.

Out of the three cubs, only the first cub has survived. The surviving cub is currently being treated in the ICU of the zoo hospital and remains under continuous veterinary monitoring to ensure its health and well-being.

With the birth of the cub, the total tiger population at Nandankanan Zoological Park now stands at 29, comprising 18 males and 11 females.