Natural Resource Management And Sustainable Development

Wildlife & Biodiversity

Name- Lalima Ekka

Roll no- Ubevs22008
When I was small I used to watch different cartoons like Panchatantra, I used to believe that one day I could see all this animals and made them
my friends as I am not allowed to keep pet in my childhood, when I first visit nandankanan zoo at of 11, I was very happy earlier I knew that
panda, penguin, zebra are black and white, but when I saw the white tiger inside that zoo I was very happy as well as surprised and I thought
that it was not a tiger but was fake creature, but when I grew up I see different evidence that prove this white tiger is in reality.
Introduction
The post Independent India
had two terms of
1. wilderness and
2. wildlife.
3. The first two decades
show massive
destruction of
wilderness and wildlife.

However in early seventies there was a realization of the

role of these two and Wildlife Laws and Act: were
introduced. Preservation of the existing areas of
wilderness and conservation of fact depleting wildlife
wore given utmost priority. The Zoos, which were by now
were simply exhibit centers for role wild animals took to
its conservation.
An Incredible Saga
On 27th May, 1951, the BBC announced that a white tiger had been
captured by the Maharaja of Rewa.
He later mated with two tigers—Baghum and her daughter Radha.
The first litters were sent to the Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal
Nehru, who had them sent to the Delhi Zoo. They were named Raja
and Rani.

A white tiger near a waterhole at the park

These white tigers with ash or light
black stripes on the white background
has great tourist attraction potentiality
and great money earners. Blue eyes
are generally larger in size than the
normal colored . nandankanan
zoological park has rare distinction of
producing the first white tigers from
normal colored parents anywhere in
the world.

The entry gate of Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha. Photo: iStock

Effect of Inbreeding on Several Fitness
Traits and Disease Susceptibility in
Captive Tiger (Panthera Tigris)
Population at Nandankanan Zoological
Park, Odisha
 Fig. 1: Line diagram comparing total number of cubs born and death due
to diseases at each level of F
Fig. 2: Column bar diagram between disease death and normal death at different
level of F
Table1: Correlation coefficient of different fitness and reproductive traits with inbreeding coefficients in tiger population
* P < 0.05

S. No. Fitness and Reproductive Traits Correlation Coefficient

1 Litter size 0.241*

2 Age at first cubing 0.142

3 Average inter-cubing period 0.048

4 Parity -0.222

5 Gestation period 0.065

6 Total number of cubs live up to weaning period -0.217*

7 Age at first mating 0.141

8 Birth weight -0.484

9 Number of white cubs born in life time -0.039

10 Number of normal cubs born in life time -0.020

11 Total number of cubs born in life time -0.139*

12 Age at death -0.297*

Conclusion

This research showed that inbreeding depression can cause several negative
effects in captive zoo populations, especially by reducing reproduction chances
and survival rate of inbred animals. Increased litter size with abnormal cubs and
decreasing longevity were two of the most observed indicators of inbreeding
depression was the most important finding of our study. Other traits that were
found to be associated with inbreeding are albinism, reduces birth weight and
skeletal size. Reduced fitness was a indicator of inbreeding depression but may
also affected by some other factors such as poor husbandry or management
practice. Inbreeding depression is generally consider to be the immediate threat to
population persistence.
The truth about white tigers

High-profile TV coverage of tigers

in captivity may give the
impression that breeding tigers in
captivity is the only way to save
the species, but that’s far from
true.
Leigh Henry, WWF-US's director of
wildlife policy, shares four facts about
white tigers.

Date: July 13, 2021

1. White tigers are falsely marketed as a highly endangered
species

captive white tiger at Mukundpur White Tiger Safari and Zoo, Madhya Pradesh,
India
2. White tigers in captivity exist due to inbreeding

Captive white tigers in the Singapore zoo

3. Inbred tigers are unhealthy tigers

Possible deformities from

inbreeding:
•Visual impairments, resulting in
tigers being cross-eyed
•Heart abnormalities (vascular ring
anomalies around the trachea and
oesophagus)
•Abnormal cranial structures and
skull development
•'Bulldog faces' — snubbed noses,
jutting jaw, wide-set eyes

A white tiger with a facial deformity. These "throw-away" cats are never displayed
in zoos.(Big Cat Rescue)
4. These animals are often bred for cash, not conservation

https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/the-truth-about-white-tigers
references

• captive white tiger at Mukundpur White Tiger Safari and Zoo, Madhya Pradesh, India

• A white tiger with a facial deformity. These "throw-away" cats are never displayed in zoos.(Big Cat Rescue)

• Captive white tigers in the Singapore zoo

• https://
www.researchgate.net/publication/202290642_Hunting_and_killing_instinct_in_captive_bred_white_tigers_A_ca
se_study_at_Nandankanan_Biological_Park_Orissa_India
• https://
www.researchgate.net/publication/318005526_Effect_of_Inbreeding_on_Several_Fitness_Traits_and_Disease_Su
sceptibility_in_Captive_Tiger_Panthera_Tigris_Population_at_Nandankanan_Zoological_Park_Odisha
The captive tiger population of Nandankanan Zoological Park, Odisha was taken
into study to identify the deleterious effect of inbreeding on litter size, mortality,
survivability, death due to different diseases and other fitness traits. The path of
pedigree and inbreeding coefficient for 342 tigers were calculated from the
available information of tiger national studbook. The correlation values between
inbreeding coefficient and different fitness traits were estimated. The litter size of
tiger was found to be positively and significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with
inbreeding coefficient. However, age at death, survivability of cubs up to weaning
and total numbers of cubs born throughout lifetime were negatively and
significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with inbreeding coefficient. The death due to a
disease conditions like stress, accidental injury, nephritis and senility were
significantly (p < 0.05) associated with inbreeding of a tiger. It is recommended for
zoos and other captive institutions to reduce inbreeding and inbreeding depression
in their captive animal populations as much as possible by using species-specific
breeding plans and using minimizing kinship as captive breeding strategy.
An Incredible Saga
On 27th May, 1951, the BBC announced that a white tiger had
been captured by the Maharaja of Rewa. The cub was brought
to Govindgarh Lake Palace. By that time a part of the courtyard
had been converted into a homeland for the cub. Named
Mohan, the tiger was brought up like a family member. 
He later mated with two tigers—Baghum and her daughter
Radha—and from this the clan of white tigers began, perhaps
never to end! The first litters were sent to the Prime Minister of
India, Jawaharlal Nehru, who had them sent to the Delhi Zoo.
They were named Raja and Rani!