London Zoo recently celebrated the arrival of three critically endangered Sumatran tiger cubs, a heartening addition to conservation efforts for this rare species.
The cubs, born in June, spent their initial weeks tucked inside their mother Gaysha’s den in the zoo’s Tiger Territory enclosure.
During July’s heatwave, however, Gaysha introduced her young cubs to the outdoors, allowing zoo visitors and keepers to first glimpse these remarkable newcomers.
Sumatran tigers, native to Indonesia’s forests in Sumatra, face severe threats in the wild. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), their numbers have dropped from an estimated 1,000 in the 1970s to just 300 today, placing the species in a critical position on the Red List. Without significant conservation efforts, they could vanish entirely within the next decade.
Since the birth of the cubs, zoo staff have monitored their growth and development closely. Recently, the cubs reached an important early milestone by opening their eyes, which are closed at birth.
In three months, they will undergo their first health check, during which they will be named and their sexes identified.
Kathryn Sanders, a tiger keeper at London Zoo, shared her excitement, saying, “The cubs are doing well at three weeks old. They’ve just opened their eyes and are making all the progress we hoped for.”
Gaysha has gradually allowed the cubs to explore their surroundings in Tiger Territory while their father, Asim, watches over them.
Visitors to London Zoo now have the chance to spot the playful cubs as they explore their habitat under the watchful care of Gaysha.
The zoo continues to raise awareness about the plight of Sumatran tigers, hoping to inspire greater efforts to protect these remarkable animals.
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