San Diego Zoo Celebrates Birth of Rare Sumatran Tiger Cub
There’s something to celebrate at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. A new Sumatran tiger cub was born and that is really great news for conservationists.
The cub was born on August 23, 2024 to first-time mother Jillian, reported The Coast News, and this is a very important step for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s conservation efforts. Sumatran tigers are critically endangered with only an estimated 400 to 600 remaining in the wild due to habitat loss, human-tiger interaction, and poaching.
The Sumatran tigers are the smallest of the tiger subspecies and are native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, according to National Geographic. The tigers stripes are close together and it has dark orange fur that allows it to blend into its tropical rainforest habitat.
Sumatran tigers are solitary – except for courtship – and a typical litter consists of one to six cubs who remain with their mother for around two years.
An important role in tiger conservation
The birth of the cub is a result of a breeding that was recommended through the AZA Sumatran Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP), according to a press release from the zoo. Each pairing ensures genetic diversity and healthy self-sustaining populations of wildlife that is threatened or endangered.
“This birth adds Jillian’s incredibly important genes into the pool of the population, furthering the genetic diversity and health of the Sumatran tiger species,” Lisa Peterson, senior vice president and executive director, San Diego Zoo Safari Park said in the press release.
Mother and cub
Wildlife care experts are very closely monitoring Jillian and her cub. Jillian is being a very good mom and is demonstrating all the expected maternal behavior. The cub is very active and vocal and has shown an appropriate attachment to Jillian.
“Jillian’s care team has done an exceptional job monitoring her and her cub throughout this process, and it has been a joy for them to watch her enjoy motherhood,” Peterson said. “We hope this cub will allow our guests to gain a greater understanding of this incredibly special species and the importance of conserving their natural habitats.”
Jillian and her offspring will remain secluded in her den for several weeks. This is crucial because it allows the cub to bond and learn from Jillian. When she is ready, Jillian will bring the cub out of the den and into a specially designed maternity habitat that allows her to keep an eye on her offspring while they explore the outdoors together.
Breeding programs like the one at San Diego Zoo Safari Park are essentials to saving endangered species. Otherwise, if habitat destruction continues, the world will continue to lose many of the animals that used to roam free. Including the beautiful orange Sumatran tigers.
