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