Tiger courtship at Central Zoo [In Pictures]

KATHMANDU: Tigers mating in the wild is a rare sight, but it can be observed occasionally in zoos. Recently, such a scene was witnessed at the Central Zoo in Jawlakhel.

Unlike other animals, tigers, specifically the Royal Bengal Tiger, do not have a definite mating season. However, experts suggest that tigers generally become sexually active between December and April.

According to wildlife expert Dr Baburam Lamichhane, male tigers reach reproductive maturity at four or five years old, while female tigers are ready to reproduce at three or four years old. The gestation period of tigers is about three and a half months, and female tigers usually give birth to three to five cubs in caves or sheltered areas with thickets and tall grass.

At birth, cubs weigh between 780 to 1,600 grams and have their eyes and ears closed. Their teeth begin to come in at about two to three weeks after birth, with adult teeth growing in when they are eight or nine weeks old.

“Cubs feed on milk for the first six months. After that, the mother starts feeding them solid food. The mother then teaches the cubs how to hunt when they are about one year old,” added Dr Lamichhane. “In some cases, the mother brings live prey to teach the cubs hunt.”

When cubs reach two to three years old, they separate from their mother and begin creating their own territory. Female tigers become ready to breed again at this stage.