The lockdown may have made the world come to a standstill, but hasn’t been able to block the flow of love that tigress Anushka is showering on her three cubs at Ranchi zoo.

“Anushka is a doting mother. The three cubs, who were born on April 18, are her world. She is extremely protective about them,” chief conservator of forest and director of Ranchi zoo D. Venkateswarlu said.

Asked how Anushka’s behaviour is different from the time she delivered her first litter in April 2018, the zoo director said she looked more mature now.

Zoo vet Ajay Kumar said one of Anushka’s first three cubs developed an obstruction in the bile duct and died after six months of being born.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Venkateswarlu said the zoo keepers and officials were being very cautious about the health of the inmates, especially the three cubs that were yet to open their eyes.

“Non-hazardous and non-corrosive silver nano compound is being sprayed on all metallic surfaces of the zoo. Moreover, heat treatment is being used to sanitise the animal enclosures with the help of 4kg LPG cylinders fitted with a long pipe and a 6-8 inch flame nozzle,” zoo vet Kumar said.

Venkateswarlu said the zoo keepers were keeping their interactions with Anushka and her cubs to a minimum. “We have reduced man-animal contact to a great extent to enforce social-distancing norms,” the zoo director said.

The keepers wear proper head gear, masks, gloves and shoe covers, he said.

Sources said Anushka had declined to eat buffalo meat after her first delivery in April 2018.

Zoo vet Kumar said they were cautious this time.

“We have changed her menu and dropped the buffalo meat. We brought in chicken instead. She has been relishing it. Six kilogram of chicken is being fed to her daily,” Kumar added.