AssetID: 54473519
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Rare Sumatran Tiger Cubs’ First Moments Captured On CCTV
Caption: CCTV footage has captured the first moments of three critically endangered Sumatran tiger cubs just after their birth. The trio arrived at West Midlands Safari Park on Friday, 17 January 2025, to their 13-year-old mother, Dourga. The first cub was born at 10:53 am, followed by the second at 11:53 am, and the third around 1 pm. Born in an indoor den, the cubs have spent their first days learning to suckle, snuggling with their mother, and taking their initial, blind steps, as their eyes remain closed for the first few weeks. Keepers, who eagerly monitored the moment, were overjoyed to see all three cubs arrive safely. Head Keeper of Carnivores, Kasha Carter, shared, “We started monitoring our female Sumatran tiger, Dourga, closely after we noticed her belly had grown larger a couple of weeks ago, nearing a predicted due date we were preparing for. She started to show nesting behaviour and on Friday morning we spotted more of a change. We gave her some space while she went into the cubbing den we had set up for her, and watched excitedly on the CCTV, as she successfully gave birth to three tiny cubs! “Dourga has been doing a fantastic job at nursing and all three cubs have been suckling and seem to be very lively from what we can see so far! She is a very caring mother.” She added, “This is such an amazing moment for the carnivore team and I to witness and be a part of, and we are proud to be playing our part in a successful conservation programme for an animal that is ‘critically endangered’ in the wild. We can't wait to see what the future holds for them.” Tigers in the wild continue to face threats from habitat loss, human conflict, and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. It is estimated that fewer than 4,000 remain, with Sumatran tigers numbering only around 400, making them one of the most endangered subspecies. At the Safari Park, these tigers are part of an EEP (EAZA Ex-Situ Programme), a European zoo initiative focused on conserving endangered species. The Park also collaborates with WildCats Conservation Alliance, contributing annually to the Kerinci Seblat Tiger Protection Project in Indonesia. This initiative deploys patrols to combat poaching and habitat destruction, with recent efforts showing promising results—no snares were found in the first half of 2024. Dourga and her cubs will remain undisturbed until they reach about eight weeks old, at which point the veterinary team will conduct a quick health check. Their sex will also be determined, allowing keepers to select names—all animals born at the Park this year will have names beginning with ‘N’. For now, it's unclear when guests will get to see the triplets, but regular updates will be shared on the Park’s social media pages. Meanwhile, their father, ten-year-old Nakal, and big sister, 18-month-old Lestari, can still be spotted in Tiger Tropics, while tigers Buster and Hujan remain visible on the Safari Drive.
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