SURAT: A white tiger playing hard to get with his similarly colour-coded amorous female companion has driven frustrated zoo officials to start administering Ayurvedic aphrodisiacs.
Sarthana Nature Park and Zoo in Surat, known for its successful programme breeding smooth-coated otters in captivity, found its male white tiger, Gaurav, was supremely uninterested in mating with his female companion, Garima. Three days ago, the zoo began administering an Ayurvedic supplement – “Viryatone” to Gaurav to enhance vigour. The supplement, which includes ingredients like safed muesli, shatavari, and ashwagandha, is commonly used to improve sexual health in pets and is now being adapted for the tiger.
Zoo superintendent Dr Rajesh Patel said Garima has been exhibiting signs of sexual maturity for the past year. “The female has been actively encouraging the male to mate, but Gaurav rarely shows interest. Even when he does mount, their attempts have not been successful,” Dr Patel told TOI.
The pair were brought to Sarthana in 2022 and have been housed together to encourage mating behaviour. “Since females tend to mature earlier than males in tigers, we are giving the supplement to Gaurav to improve his mating capabilities,” said Dr Patel. He said the supplement is safe for cat family and has been used for dogs.
