October 18, 2026: The management of Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, Chhatbir Zoo, deeply mourn the demise of white tigress Diya, who passed away this morning at the age of 13 years, 2 months and 21 days.
Born at Chhatbir Zoo on July 28, 2013, Diya was the offspring of white tigers Lucky and Dolly. Over the years, she remained an important attraction for zoo visitors and contributed to the zoo’s captive breeding and conservation programme for tigers.
Diya gave birth to three cubs in 2019—Arjun, Amar and Dilnoor. While Arjun continues to be housed at Chhatbir Zoo, Amar was shifted to Rohtak Zoo. Her offspring Arjun has further contributed to the breeding programme and has sired cubs with Gauri, a tigress brought from Rajkot, Gujarat.
At over 13 years of age, Diya had lived beyond the commonly cited average lifespan of 10–12 years for white tigers in captivity.
The loss of Diya has left an irreplaceable void in the hearts of her caretakers, veterinary teams and wildlife enthusiasts. Her demise is a profound loss for the zoo and the dedicated staff who cared for her over the years.
The animal is being taken to GADVASU, Ludhiana, for a post-mortem examination by a panel of veterinary doctors to ascertain the cause of death. Final rites and all related procedures are being carried out in accordance with standard protocols and prescribed guidelines.
Chhatbir Zoo pays tribute to Diya and her contribution to wildlife conservation and captive breeding efforts.
