A ten-year-old Royal Bengal tigress at Delhi zoo was killed by a male tiger, who was released into the female enclosure for breeding purposes.
The incident came as a setback to the zoo which is now left with only two females and three male Royal Bengal tigers.
According to zoo officials, the tigress, named Zinzin, was killed yesterday by a male tiger brought in a month ago from Mysore zoo for breeding purposes.
"The male tiger was released into the enclosure of the female bengal tigress yesterday when it attacked her and did not let go, killing her. The two were left for mating," zoo curator (Education) Riyaz Khan said.
The zoo officials tried to separate the fighting tigers, however, the male tiger had caught hold of the Bengal tigress.
Although such incidents of fighting are normal in the wild but it was for the first time in Delhi zoo, he said, adding fights seldom turn this violent.
Currently, the Delhi zoo homes five Royal Bengal tigers - three males, two females and six white tigers.
Recently, a female white tigress was sent to Thiruvananthapuram zoo as a part of inter-zoo exchange programme.
