23 April,2026 07:49 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
Tigress Srivalli with her cubs at SGNP. PIC/By Special Arrangement
One of the five tiger cubs at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) has died after a nearly two-week battle with Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). Officials said that on April 16, the six-month-old tiger cub unfortunately succumbed to FIP, a rare viral condition that poses challenges for wildlife sanctuaries and zoos worldwide.
"Sanjay Gandhi National Park's vigilant monitoring systems detected the condition promptly, enabling swift intervention and preventing further complications among other animal residents. The SGNP management has further strengthened its biosecurity measures to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare and disease control," said SGNP Deputy Director Kiran Patil. The cub belonged to tigress Srivalli, who had given birth to five cubs in captivity on October 2, 2025.
The four surviving cubs are developing well under close veterinary supervision, said officials. All animals in the park are being monitored with heightened vigilance to ensure the virus does not spread further. "SGNP's proactive approach and unwavering commitment to maintaining high standards of animal care, hygiene, and welfare demonstrate the park's readiness to address emerging health challenges while continuing its role as a key wildlife sanctuary and conservation centre," Patil added.
Feline Infectious Peritonitis [FIP] develops when the common Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) undergoes a spontaneous mutation inside an individual feline's body. As opposed to common FCoV, FIP in most cases proves fatal for felines, but at the same time, it is not contagious like FCoV. FCoV [the source of FIP] can be contracted through other felines, contaminated food, surfaces, etc., said Dr Komal V Raul, deputy director, Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan & Zoo. She added, "India does not have FIP vaccines yet, so the survival of the infected felines completely depends on their immunity."
Srivalli, also known as T24-C2, was born inside Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and later encouraged to establish her own territory in its Moharli range. The tigress was rescued from TATR and brought to SGNP in March 2022. In the month of March 2023, Srivalli had delivered four cubs in captivity at SGNP, but only one cub survived. Again, on May 17, 2024, the tigress had delivered four cubs in captivity at SGNP. On October 2, 2025, Srivalli gave birth to five more cubs at SGNP.
