Photo : BSS

 By Md Mamun Islam

RANGPUR, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS) - Despite the cold wave, two three-month-old tiger cubs at Rangpur Zoo are attracting and winning the hearts of a large number of visitors, especially children accompanying their parents during the winter holidays.

The Royal Bengal Tiger Romeo and Juliet couple's big-sized cage was lit up with two cubs three months ago, on August 28, 2025, at Rangpur Zoo, when the authorities named the newborn cubs as Raja and Rani.
 
The zoo authorities have officially opened them to visitors three months after their birth. The crowd of visitors to see these two tiger cubs Raja and Rani is increasing every day. 

The two fluffy tiger cubs have become a source of entertainment for the visitors. 

Talking to BSS today, Rangpur Zoo Officer Dr H M Shahadat said that Rangpur Zoo is one of the two government zoos in the country. 
 
Since their birth, the zoo authorities have been taking special care of the two tiger cubs. 

Due to the favorable climate for breeding, Rangpur Zoo breeds various rare species of animals. It has already bred various species of birds, tigers, bears, lions, deer, and hippos.

A number of cubs born at Rangpur Zoo have been sent as gifts to several countries, including the Dhaka Zoo. 

The two newborn tiger cubs are kept separately from their mother Juliet and father Romeo so that they can drink their mother's milk in peace during the last three months. 
 
They are also provided with very careful and important medical care. 

"After three months of intensive care, the cubs were reunited with their parents on December 21, 2025," said Dr Shahadat. 
 
Meanwhile, a huge crowd of visitors from different districts has been observed at Rangpur Zoo to see the two tiger cubs. 

Ignoring the cold, children with their parents from different areas have also come to see the cubs during winter vacations in schools. 

 
"The number of visitors for the two cubs has increased several times from before. The cubs Raja and Rani are also very happy to see their parents together in the big cage," he said. 

The visitors are enjoying the running around of the two cubs. The visiting school-going children with their parents are very happy to see the tiger cubs. 
 
Talking to BSS, housewife Monwara Begum, 33, who came to see the tiger cubs from Parbatipur upazila in Dinajpur, said that she came to see the two tiger cubs with her two daughters Aklima, 12, and Parul, 10. 

Like her daughters, she said that she feels very happy to see the two Royal Bengal tiger cubs in the cage. The children are also happy. 

Similarly, couple Kamrul Islam, 36, and Marjina Begum, 33, from Panchagarh district town came with their only daughter Lucky, 13, and only son Mizan, 11, to see the two tiger cubs. All of them are very happy to see the cubs. 

Grocery trader Mizanur Rahman, 32, and his wife Homayra Khatun, 30, from Pirganj upazila of Rangpur came with their only son Manik, 10. 

"It is very pleasant to see the two gentle tiger cubs. Our son Manik likes the way the two cubs are playing, dancing and approaching towards him from inside the cage," said Homayra Khatun. 

All visitors suggested that the authorities raise the two cubs well, not to send them to other places and keep them in Rangpur Zoo through proper care and maintenance.
 
Dr Shahadat said that the Royal Bengal Tiger couple had been pregnant twice before but the baby was lost due to miscarriage. 

"For this reason, special care is being taken this time. Regular care is being taken. As a result, the couple gave birth to two cubs. The cubs are doing well. They are being taken care of separately as it is winter," he said.
 
Currently, there are about 250 animals of 27 species in the zoo. 

Notable among the animals at Rangpur Zoo are the royal Bengal tiger of the Sundarbans, lions, rhinoceroses, hippos, deer, monkeys, leopards, bears, crocodiles, pythons, turtles, mynas, tiyas, peacocks, cockatoos, pigeons, and various species of birds.
 
"We are working to further enrich the zoo with animals and birds for visitors. Hopefully, giraffes will be brought to the zoo in a short time," Dr Shahadat added.