White tiger dies due to old age, just 2 of the kind now at Mumbai's SGNP

MUMBAI: The death of a white tiger at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli, leaves only two white tigers. Siddharth, who died on June 4, was over 20 years old. He is the eighth big cat to have died at the park since October last.

Chief conservator of forests Vikas Gupta said Siddharth passed away peacefully at a ripe old age. “He had no ailment. But, for a few months he could not walk properly as his hind limbs had become weak due to age,” said Gupta.

The carcass was cremated on Saturday. Veterinarian Sanjiv Pinjarkar, said, “Siddharth died a natural death. The cause will be known once we have the post-mortem report.”

Superintendent of the lion safari at the park, Shailesh Deore, said Siddarth used to sleep a lot over the last six months. “But his food intake had remained unchanged. In fact, he ate normally even on the last day and there is no reason to believe that he was unwell.”

Siddharth’s death leaves two white tigers at the national park—18-year-old Rebecca and 10-year-old Bajirao. Rebecca, who has cancer, is undergoing chemotherapy sessions. “She is recovering well but age is a deterrent,” said Dr Pinjarkar.