Cuteness overload: Extremely rare Sumatran tiger cubs born at Nyíregyháza Zoo – PHOTOS
In a significant triumph for wildlife conservation, twin Sumatran tiger cubs, one of the rarest tiger subspecies (and the rarest animals) in the world, have been born at the Nyíregyháza Zoo in Hungary. These healthy male cubs are the result of a decade-long European breeding collaboration aimed at saving this critically endangered species.
A decade in the making
According to the zoo’s director, László Gajdos, the quest to find the ideal tiger pair began in 2015. After several setbacks, including miscarriages and stillbirths, success came with a match between Gio, a 13-year-old male, and Sabah, a 4-year-old female. Sabah gave birth to the cubs in December 2024. On January 7th, the four-week-old cubs underwent their first veterinary check-up. The team weighed the cubs at 5 kg and 4.6 kg, administered their initial vaccines, and gave them deworming treatments, the Nyíregyháza Zoo reports. Each cub was also equipped with a unique identifier.
A critically endangered species
Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) are the smallest and southernmost of the six living tiger subspecies. They are native to the lowlands and mountainous forests of Sumatra, Indonesia. The solitary predators primarily hunt medium-sized herbivores. Their numbers have dwindled due to habitat destruction and poaching, pushing the species to the brink of extinction. In the 1970s, the wild population was estimated at 1,000, but today only 400–500 remain in the wild. Another 280 live in zoos worldwide, including four at Nyíregyháza Zoo.
A chance to see the cubs
The newborns are now part of the zoo’s Victoria House (Viktória Ház) exhibit, which showcases endangered animals. Visitors can catch their first glimpse of the cubs starting this weekend. This rare birth is a testament to the dedication of conservationists and the importance of international cooperation in saving critically endangered species.
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The cubs are absolutely cute. Thanks for sharing the pictures.