ZooBorns

Update! Tiger Cub Belly Rubs and Bottle Feeding

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium's endangered Sumatran Tiger Cub that you may have first read about on ZooBorns is growing by leaps and bounds! Born on August 22, he's now over 10 pounds (4.53 kg) at five weeks old.

The Sumatran Tiger is native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra where only an estimated 300 remain in the wild. This little guy can be seen daily on exhibit exploring and playing daily in the zoo’s Cub Den. If you want to help name him, there's only one week left in which to vote, so make sure to pick one of the six names on the list today at www.surveymonkey.com/s/cubname.

Photo Credit: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

See the first video of the cub, taken when he was just three weeks old!

More pictures after the jump:

Tiger Cub Can Be Seen for First Time This Weekend at Point Defiance Zoo

Jaya, an endangered Sumatran Tiger at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, gave birth to a three pound (1.36kg) male cub on August 22. Zoological staff separated the cub from his mother a few days after birth because he wasn’t getting enough milk, was dehydrated and his temperature was low. Thanks to diligent hand-raising by his keepers, he’s now thriving... and visitors will have the chance to see him on exhibit this weekend!

The cub’s parents, Jaya and Malosi, are both in the rotation of tigers placed on exhibit each day in the zoo’s Asian Forest Sanctuary. All are critically endangered Sumatran tigers, and births in zoos are extremely rare. They are native to the island of Sumatra, where an estimated 300 Sumatran Tigers remain. Their lifespan is 10-12 years in the wild and 18-20 years in zoos. 

Gestation lasts 100-110 days and the average litter size is 2-4 cubs. Cubs weigh a little over two pounds (.90kg) at birth and nurse about 6-10 weeks. By 18 months of age, tigers are ready to be out on their own and hunt their own food. Their diet in the wild consists of deer, tapirs, wild pigs, though tigers will eat anything they can catch. Maturity is reached by 3-4 years of age. They grow up to 7-8 feet (2-2.4 m) in length, are about 2 feet (.60 m) tall at the shoulder, and can weigh 200-275 pounds (90-124 kg).

Tigers are generally solitary animals. Both male and females map out their own territory by spraying urine on trees, bushes, and the ground. The specific range size of the Sumatran Tiger is not known, however the population density is approximately 4-5 adult tigers per 40 square miles (40 kms) in lowland rainforest. Tigers are not very active most of the time, sleeping about 18-20 hours a day. Sumatran Tigers are on cat that enjoys the water and will swim to cool down in the hot jungle.

Photo Credit: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Tiger Triplets debut at Bronx Zoo

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo roared with new activity last week as three Amur Tiger cubs born in April made their public debut.   The cubs, one male and two females, are vitally important to the future of wild Tigers:  in the last 100 years, the global wild Tiger population has plummeted 97 percent.  Only about 3,200 Tigers remain in the wild, with only 1,000 breeding females.  Amur Tigers, also known as Siberian Tigers, are among the rarest big cats on Earth.

Photo Credit:  Julie Larsen Maher

 

Amur Tiger Cubs Play in the Sun at Peoria Zoo

 

The Peoria Zoo welcomed their first Amur Tiger cubs in more than 30 years! The mother, Kyra, had the babies at the end of June. The cubs' father, Vaska, was brought in from the Minnesota Zoo last December to breed with Kyra. Neither of the parents had reproduced before but Kyra has proven to be an excellent first-time mother. 

Once Kyra’s weight gain indicated that birth was imminent, a camera was repositioned to film the birthing platform. You can watch a video of the birth as captured here. Their first wellness check showed that all four cubs were healthy and that they ranged in size from 3.5 - 5.5 pounds (1.6 - 2.5 kgs). Vaska did not have access to mom or the babies, but was out in the habitat as Kyra and cubs spent their time bonding in the house.

Then, on August 23, the cubs were big enough to venture into the Tiger Yard for the first time under mom's watchful eye. Catch the video below to see them peek their paws into the sunshine for the first time.  

Photo Credit: Peoria Zoo

You can vote to name the cubs now through September 22 by visiting the Peoria Zoo's voting link. You can pick for two male and two female names from choices provided by the Zoo. The winning names will be announced at 11:00 a.m. on September 29! You can revisit their website or Facebook page to find out if the names you picked won.

 

 

More photos of the cubs at play after the jump:

Point Defiance Zoo Steps In To Hand-rear Tiny Sumatran Tiger Cub

Last week, vets and zoological staff at Tacoma, Washington's Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium decided to hand-rear it's then 6-day-old Sumatran Tiger cub. The cub appeared to be losing weight and was not getting enough milk from his mother.

“It’s in his best interest so he can receive round-the-clock feedings with special formula,” head veterinarian Dr. Karen Wolf said. Wolf made the decision to move him from the den box in which his mother, Jaya, gave birth and put him in the zoo’s Animal Health Care clinic after she consulted with zoological staff in the Asian Forest Sanctuary.

Photo credit: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

About 200 Sumatran tigers live in zoos around the world. They are native only to the island of Sumatra. There are an estimated 300 in the wild.

Take a Peek! Day-Old Sumatran Tiger Cub Seen on Hidden Camera

On August 22, Sumatran Tiger named Jaya gave birth to an adorable and healthy cub at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.  A hidden camera has been used to observe mother and baby while keeping disturbances to a minimum.  These photos and the accompanying must-see video were taken when the cub was just one day old. 

From all accounts, mother and cub appear to be doing well. The zoo hopes to introduce Jaya and her cub to visitors in about two months. Until then, the two will remain behind the scenes at the zoo.

Sumatran Tigers are critically endangered in their native home in Indonesia.  The destruction of Sumatra’s rain forests for the illegal planting of palm oil plantations has raised international awareness of the precarious state of Sumatran Tigers in the wild.  Unfortunately, zoo births for this species are extremely rare, so the arrival of this tiny cub is of great importance to the species. 

 

Photo Credits:  Point Defiance Zoo & Aqaurium

Columbus Zoo Tiger Cub Twins Update!

 

As you might have read here on ZooBorns on July 11, that the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio welcomed twin Amur Tiger cubs, both male. They were born on June 28 and 29. Both cubs have had their eyes open for about 10 days now, and have been taking advantage of their new sight to pad around. "It's impossible to get a picture of the two together because they won't sit still!" says a Zoo source.  

Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica), also historically referred to as Siberian tigers, are critically endangered; fewer than 500 individuals are believed to exist in the forests of the Russian Far East. Their populations are dwindling due to overhunting of prey species such as deer and wild boar, habitat loss, and poaching for skins and body parts used in traditional Chinese medicine. Humans directly cause 75 to 85 percent of tiger deaths.

Read more about what is being done to conserve this species after the jump.

Photo Credit: G.Jones/Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Columbus Zoo's New Stars Have Stripes!

Ohio's Columbus Zoo and Aquarium have new stars... and they have stripes! Two male Amur Tiger cubs were born on June 28 and 29 to first-time-mom, Mara. They are the first ever born at this zoo -- the last birth of any tiger subspecies there occurred in 1990. 

Weighing just two to three pounds at birth, the newborns are currently in intensive care in the Animal Health Center. Their condition is not yet stable and it is unknown when visitors will be able to see them. The first arrived at 10:41 p.m. and the second about four hours later. The newborn cubs, weighing just two to three pounds at birth, were initially monitored by the animal care team using a remote feed from a camera mounted in the den.

The team was already concerned about the health of the first cub which, despite nursing successfully shortly after the birth of the second cub, had not nursed for an extended period and appeared to be weakening when the Zoo lost power on the evening of June 29 due to a storm. Since they were unable to monitor the activity in the den, the team made the decision to remove both cubs for hand rearing. The cubs are being raised together for companionship and socialization.

Photo Credits: G. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium 

 

Bath Time for Tiny Tiger!

Minnesota Zoo’s 3-week-old Amur Tiger cub is growing strong and thriving under round-the-clock care from a crew of dedicated zoo keepers.  Born on June 17, the cub was removed from first-time mother Angara because she was not caring for her baby.  The cub is being hand-raised by zoo keepers.

Zoo staffers report that the female cub is very active and feeds every four hours, day and night.  The cub weighs 5.5 pounds and her eyes are now open.  Mother Tigers normally wash their cubs by licking them with their rough, sandpapery tongue.  To bathe this cub, zoo keepers gave the cub a bath with the help of water, soap, and a thick towel.  The result:  a clean and fluffy cub!

The largest of all cats and one of six remaining tiger subspecies, Amur Tigers are a top predator of far eastern Asia. Thick fur and padded paws protect them against the extreme cold and icy winds of winter, while stripes help render them nearly invisible to prey. Amur Tigers are carnivores, eating mostly large mammals such as deer and wild boar. They will travel over extensive forest territories in search of food. With stealth, speed, and sheer strength, Amur Tigers are well-suited to their role as a hunter. 

Amur Tigers’ home range, reputation as a threat to livestock and humans, and value to poachers has led to their population decline. Around 1940, wild Amur Tiger populations in Russia were estimated to be as low as 20 or 30 individuals. In 2005, scientists estimated that the population had recovered to 430-500 individuals, but it is thought that wild Amur Tigers have declined since then to about 350. Concerted conservation efforts help protect the remaining endangered tigers from the persistent threats of poaching and habitat loss. 

Minnesota Welcomes A Tiny Striped Bundle of Joy

The Minnesota Zoo is hand raising a brand new bundle of joy. On June 17, two endangered Amur Tiger cubs were born to first-time mother Angara and father Molniy after a 105 day gestation period. After observing the mother with her cubs overnight, Zoo officials decided to pull the babies for hand-rearing. Angara wasn't displaying the quality of maternal care required to successfully raise the cubs. During the critical first days under round the clock human care, the smaller of the two cubs passed away. About two thirds of Amur Tiger cubs survive the first 30 days of life.

Photo credits: Minnesota Zoo

The Amur Tiger’s home range, reputation as a threat to livestock and humans, and value to poachers has led to its population decline. Around 1940, the wild Amur Tiger population in Russia was estimated to be as low as 20 or 30. In 2005, scientists estimated that the population had recovered to 430-500 individuals, but it is thought that wild Amur Tigers have declined since then to about 350. Concerted conservation efforts help protect these remaining endangered Tigers from the persistent threats of poaching and habitat loss.