Bhubaneswar, Dec. 21: A 16-year-old white tiger today died at Nandankanan zoo, bringing the number of white tigers, a major tourist attraction here, down to eight.

A zoo official said Kishan, who had been ailing for sometime, died of age related problems. It was found dead in its enclosure this morning.

'The animal had been being treated for paralysis and other age related problems for the past two years. It succumbed to illness,' said deputy director of the zoo Jayant Dash. A zoo official said Kishan was born in the zoo to a white tigress and a Royal Bengal tiger.

The zoo has 26 tigers, including eight white ones. Of these, three are male and five females. The zoo shot into international limelight in 1980 when white tigers were born to yellow-coloured parents. Ever since, the white-coated felines have been Nandankanan's biggest draw.

The fall in the number of white tigers remains a matter of concern for the authorities as the zoo's white tiger safari attracts a large number of visitors. Though Nandankanan also boasts of lion, beer and herbivore safaris, it is the white tiger safari that holds maximum appeal for the tourists flocking to the zoo every day. But, zoo officials sought to put up a brave face in public.

'We have the largest population of white tigers as compared to other zoos in the country. So, this death won't really affect the tourist flow,' said an official.

In July, four tiger cubs, including one with a white coat and another dark or melanistic, were born to Sneha, a-four-and-a-half-year-old white tigress and Manish, an eight-year-old Royal Bengal tiger. The births had drawn national attention mainly because of the melanistic cub, a rarity.

At present, the zoo authorities are on their toes, expecting a record turnout at the zoo on January 1. They are expecting more than 50,000 people to visit Nandankanan on the New Year's Day. Though the zoo records an average daily footfall of around 20,000, the number of visitors goes up in the last week of December.

'We expect a huge turnout in the last week of December. We have asked our employees to be on the alert to ensure a perfect crowd control,' said a zoo official.