One of two tiger cubs born at Chester Zoo (pics by Ralph Dickinson)
The four-week-old duo are getting bolder by the day and making the most of the summer sun.
Along with mum Kirana and dad Fabi, the cubs are said to be doing fantastically well. They haven’t been sexed and named just yet.
Tim Rowlands, our curator of mammals at the zoo, said:
“It’s believed that only 300-400 Sumatran tigers are left in the wild so these births are not only a great achievement for Kirana and everyone here at the zoo but also really important news for the future of this species. It’s a rare boost to a critically endangered animal.”
Sumatran tigers are found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is one of the rarest big cat species in the world as, in the wild, they are poached for traditional medicines and much of their jungle habitat has been destroyed.
Tim added:
“Both cubs seem to be doing fantastically well. Mum kept them quite well hidden in their outdoor den to begin with but, particularly as the weather gets warmer, they’ll continue to gain in confidence and become a lot more adventurous. They’ll be exploring more and more.”