A birth among our tigers!

On December 26, 2022 around 6 p.m., our Sumatran Tiger couple gave birth to a tigon of about 1 kg! The birth of Kinabalu was very fast and went without any worries. She is a very caring mother who takes very good care of her little one. This one opened his eyes 13 days after his birth and he started to walk a few days ago.

Male or female ?

Today, Rosemary the park veterinarian, accompanied by the keepers, identified the sex of the tigon. It is a female, which is very good news for the conservation of the species! She took the opportunity to deworm her and chip her. This will then be recorded in a global file which makes it possible to manage the movements of the animals and their reproduction, while preserving the genetic purity of each individual. Little Sankha will be visible in the outdoor enclosure with her parents from the opening in April.

A highly endangered species

Today, the Sumatran Tiger is the most endangered subspecies among tigers, with less than 400 individuals living in the wild on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. This species is therefore classified by the IUCN as critically endangered, the penultimate category preceding complete extinction in the wild.

In 2020, 124 individuals lived in European zoos (54 males and 70 females, distributed in 57 institutions), for a total number of 300 worldwide.

Both Kinabalu and Taru are part of the European Breeding Program (EEP*). This Sumatran Tiger couple is of great importance in Europe, as they are among the most genetically interesting individuals. They therefore have an essential role in the conservation of this species.

Sankha is the first tigon of this couple and will stay with his parents for a minimum of 1.5 years. Then, as part of the EEP, she will most certainly be directed to another park to create a new couple, because the descendants of Kinabalu and Taru are of great importance in the conservation of this subspecies.

*WHAT IS AN EEP (EUROPEAN ENDANGERED SPECIES PROGRAM)?

It is a management program for the most threatened species in situ (in their natural environment). This program is managed by a committee led by a coordinator who ensures the genetic monitoring of animals so that there is no risk of inbreeding and who implements sustainable management of individuals in the parks through recommendations. transfer, reproduction or non-reproduction.