New Tiger Cubs Are Stars at the Buffalo Zoo

Posted by: Theresa Fulcher, Producer

Created: 2/19/2008 1:29:29 PM
Updated: 2/20/2008 11:16:21 PM

The two cubs are named for the cable company sponsoring them. They are the first tiger cubs born in captivity at the Buffalo Zoo in twenty years and among very few born in zoos worldwide over the course of the past year or two.

Zoo President Dr. Donna Fernandes says only about 450 of these Amur tigers are still living in their natural habitat, the Russian Far East, and only about 150 more are living in captivity.

The cubs weighed about two pounds each at birth but now tip the scales at about forty pounds. The zoo says their mother, Sungari, is laid back and has shown good instincts as a mother.

Sungari came here from the Philadelphia Zoo in August 2004 when she was 13 months old. The father, Toma, was born in 2001 at the Toronto Zoo and has been here since December, 2006.

The family won’t likely ever be in the exhibit together since they are generally solitary animals and the male does not traditionally take on any role with the cubs.

The cubs will be on display to the public for the first time on Wednesday, February 20th. They will typically be let out to play in their exhibit from 11am to 2pm.

The two cubs will remain here at the Buffalo Zoo until they are about 18 months to two years of age.

http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=55540

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