DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand is set to get its first white tigers after the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) approved the transfer of two male white tigers to Dehradun Zoo.
The rare big cats will be brought from Gwalior Zoo in Madhya Pradesh and Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha. They will be displayed in Uttarakhand for the first time.
Officials have started preparations to bring a nearly two-year-old white male tiger from Gwalior, with its arrival expected around Wildlife Week. Under the exchange, Dehradun Zoo will send a normal-coloured tiger to Gwalior Zoo.
Speaking to TNIE, Forest Range Officer and Dehradun Zoo in-charge Diksha Bhatt said, "The clearance marks a major success for the Uttarakhand Forest Department, which had been pursuing the proposals for several years."
Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal said, “It is heartening news for Uttarakhand that the state is going to get its first white tiger. It will become a major attraction for wildlife lovers and tourists.”
The CZA has also approved the transfer of another male white tiger from Nandankanan Zoological Park. Officials are yet to finalise the logistics and exchange terms for that transfer.
Earlier discussions with Odisha involved sending a pair of Himalayan Gorals from Dehradun Zoo and a pair of Red Pandas from Nainital in exchange.
The approvals end years of efforts by the Uttarakhand Forest Department after earlier proposals were rejected by the CZA.
Uttarakhand currently has no white tigers in its zoos. The arrival of the animals will add to the state's wildlife attractions.
According to the 2022 All India Tiger Estimation, Uttarakhand has 560 tigers, the third-highest population in the country after Madhya Pradesh (785) and Karnataka (563). Corbett Tiger Reserve alone has 260 tigers, the highest number in any tiger reserve in India.
White tigers are a rare colour variant of the Bengal tiger caused by a recessive genetic trait. They are being brought to Dehradun Zoo for conservation education and public display.
Officials are completing quarantine, transport and enclosure arrangements before the first white tiger is introduced to visitors during Wildlife Week.
