DEHRADUN: After a journey of more than 14 hours from Gwalior, Tejas arrived at Dehradun Zoo and began exploring its enclosure. The two-and-a-half-year-old white tiger showed no visible signs of distress or aggression, reassuring the staff.
Tejas travelled around 550 km from Madhya Pradesh under the supervision of a team that monitored its health and behaviour throughout the journey. The vehicles carrying him were driven at controlled speeds in accordance with animal-safety and translocation protocols.
“His (Tejas's) health and behaviour were watched continuously during the journey,” Zoo Ranger Diksha Bhatt told TNIE. The team also brought the tiger's diet chart and health records, which will guide the feeding and care as he adjusts to the new surroundings.
For many zoo employees, Tejas is the first white tiger they have seen up close. Bhatt said the experience had been exciting, though staff and visitors will have to admire him from a distance for now.
Tejas will spend about 20 days in quarantine and under observation, as required after an animal is moved between zoos. Only Tejas's enclosure keeper and a veterinarian will be allowed near him during this period, and visitors are unlikely to see him for roughly a month.
“The quiet period will ease the young tiger’s transition. Consistent food and routine will help staff monitor changes as he settles in,” Bhatt said.
So far, Tejas appears curious and active. Zoo staff have seen him playing during the day, pacing around the tiger's enclosure and occasionally standing on his hind legs against its boundary.
Tejas's white coat, dark stripes and blue eyes make him a striking sight, but the immediate focus is on ensuring that he adapts comfortably.
“A white tiger is not a separate species or breed. Tejas is a tiger whose white coat results from an inherited variation in colour,” Bhatt said. “Unlike an albino animal, the tiger retains dark stripes. Tigers with the more familiar orange or yellow-brown coats also have dark stripes; in both, the pattern is unique to each animal, much like a human fingerprint.”
As Tejas is not yet fully grown, he currently spends much of the time playing, roaming around his enclosure and engaging in playful antics. The zoo team will continue to record the tiger's behaviour and daily routine.
A separate enclosure has been prepared for Tejas next to that of a Royal Bengal tiger. Once Tejas's quarantine and observation period is complete and he is put on display, visitors will be able to see the two tigers side by side: a Royal Bengal tiger with orange-yellow fur and black stripes, and Tejas.
