POSTED: 2:13 pm HST December 19, 2008
HONOLULU — The Honolulu Zoo will unveil its newborn Sumatran tiger cubs to the public on Saturday, city officials said.
The cubs were born on Sept. 15, to Sumatran tiger Chrissie.
The litter is Chrissie and Berani’s second. Their first litter was born at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo in Indiana in 2004.
The three tigers are the first for the zoo in 27 years.
The zoo opens at 9 a.m.
There are just 500 Sumatran tigers in the wild and about 200 more in captivity, so the births of new tigers are important to preserving the endangered species.
Chrissie and Berani are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for Sumatran Tigers. It is a breeding program to improve the population. It is possible that the cubs may eventually be moved to other zoos as part of the program.
The city is expected to name a new zoo boss soon. Earlier this year, Zoo Director Ken Redman announced he is stepping down.
Previous Stories:
October 8, 2008: Honolulu Zoo Shows First Images Of Tiger Cubs
September 16, 2008: Honolulu Zoo Tiger Gives Birth To 3 Cubs
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