Adorable video shows rare newborn Sumatran tiger taking its first steps
- 11 months ago
This adorable video shows a rare newborn Sumatran tiger taking its first step.
The unnamed cub was born alongside one sibling at Memphis Zoo in Tennessee, USA, on May 5.
The cubs were born to mum Dari, who is almost nine, and dad Gusti, who is almost six.
A CCTV video taken from inside Dari's cage shows the cub trying its best to take its first steps and flopping to its side.
Sumatran tigers are a hyper-endangered subspecies of tiger.
Between 400 and 600 exist in a wild.
The newborn cubs are the first to be born at Memphis Zoo in 25 years.
The cubs represent a ray of hope for Sumatran tigers as they were born as part of a species survival plan.
The program aims to create a diverse population of Sumatran tigers in captivity as a way to ensure the survival of the critically endangered cats.
Dan Dembiec, a curator at the zoo, said: “As the last of the island tigers, preserving Sumatran tigers is critically important.
"Sumatran tigers are managed collaboratively in breeding programs by accredited zoos globally.
"So, the birth of tiger cubs here at the Memphis Zoo is a milestone with a worldwide impact.”
He added: "So far, Dari has proven to be a fantastic mother, calmly grooming and nursing the cubs.
"In the meantime, zookeepers continue building relationships with her by training her to be comfortable shifting away from the cubs temporarily so we can eventually examine them and ensure they are healthy on Dari’s terms."
Veterinarian Dr Felicia Knightley said: “We will document milestones and their development, such as when their eyes open when they are strong enough to leave the nest box, and when they start sampling diet."
The birth of the cubs has not come without effort.
The cubs' parents had to be acclimated to their environment at the zoo and were introduced a year before breeding.
Dembiec said: "We had to acclimate them to our facility, which can take time
and a lot of effort in writing protocols and getting to know the tigers...
"After that, we had to introduce them to each other, which can have an inherent risk, as you never know how tigers will react to each other.
"When Dari went into labor on the evening of May 5th, all the zookeepers were anxiously awaiting the news.
"They all breathed a sigh of relief when it became readily apparent that the cubs were alive and that Dari’s maternal instincts were appropriate."
The unnamed cub was born alongside one sibling at Memphis Zoo in Tennessee, USA, on May 5.
The cubs were born to mum Dari, who is almost nine, and dad Gusti, who is almost six.
A CCTV video taken from inside Dari's cage shows the cub trying its best to take its first steps and flopping to its side.
Sumatran tigers are a hyper-endangered subspecies of tiger.
Between 400 and 600 exist in a wild.
The newborn cubs are the first to be born at Memphis Zoo in 25 years.
The cubs represent a ray of hope for Sumatran tigers as they were born as part of a species survival plan.
The program aims to create a diverse population of Sumatran tigers in captivity as a way to ensure the survival of the critically endangered cats.
Dan Dembiec, a curator at the zoo, said: “As the last of the island tigers, preserving Sumatran tigers is critically important.
"Sumatran tigers are managed collaboratively in breeding programs by accredited zoos globally.
"So, the birth of tiger cubs here at the Memphis Zoo is a milestone with a worldwide impact.”
He added: "So far, Dari has proven to be a fantastic mother, calmly grooming and nursing the cubs.
"In the meantime, zookeepers continue building relationships with her by training her to be comfortable shifting away from the cubs temporarily so we can eventually examine them and ensure they are healthy on Dari’s terms."
Veterinarian Dr Felicia Knightley said: “We will document milestones and their development, such as when their eyes open when they are strong enough to leave the nest box, and when they start sampling diet."
The birth of the cubs has not come without effort.
The cubs' parents had to be acclimated to their environment at the zoo and were introduced a year before breeding.
Dembiec said: "We had to acclimate them to our facility, which can take time
and a lot of effort in writing protocols and getting to know the tigers...
"After that, we had to introduce them to each other, which can have an inherent risk, as you never know how tigers will react to each other.
"When Dari went into labor on the evening of May 5th, all the zookeepers were anxiously awaiting the news.
"They all breathed a sigh of relief when it became readily apparent that the cubs were alive and that Dari’s maternal instincts were appropriate."