Delta's three newest cubs
This is Delta’s second litter (see Kym’s blog, Tiger Cubs Find a New Home), and she is proving to be a seasoned professional at mothering. After careful behavioral observations by her keepers, combined with hormone analysis by our researchers, Delta was bred to male Utan on July 31 and August 1. The average gestation for a Sumatran tiger is 104 days and Delta stayed close to this expected timeline, giving birth on day 105. For several days leading up to the birth, Delta was kept inside the tiger house, and keepers stayed with her 24 hours a day, monitoring her for any signs of labor via a camera system so as not to disturb her. She was provided with a den box filled with soft bedding hay as well as some extra heaters for warmth. Delta decided our efforts were satisfactory and chose to have her cubs in the box as we had hoped.
Sumatran tiger cubs are very small at birth, weighing only 2 to 3 pounds (0.9 to 1.3 kilograms) and their eyes remain closed for the first 7 to 10 days. We monitored the cubs and Delta for the first few days without interference. This allowed Delta to become comfortable with the cubs and regain her appetite. For the first several days, Delta was so occupied with being a mother that she did not leave the cubs alone while she ate. On November 19, the keepers separated Delta from her cubs for the first time, and we were able to physically meet the cubs. While Delta was eating in an adjacent room, we were able to sex the cubs and get weights on them all. The walls on the den box are about 12 inches (30 centimeters) high, and for the first several weeks sufficed as a barrier to the cubs, but they have since found their way out!
At one month of age, all of the cubs are mobile and climb freely in and out of the den box. Harimau Kayu is the most agile of the cubs and the most adventurous! He was the first out of the den and has explored the entire bedroom on increasingly steady legs. Damai has definitely taken after her mother: from one week of age she has had a ferocious temperament. She is definitely a little tiger! Kucing is our little rock: he stays close to his mom and his siblings, never straying too far on his own. They are growing at a steady rate of about 1.5 pounds (0.6 kilograms) per week; Damai is the smallest at 10.1 pounds (4.59 kilograms), followed by Kucing at 10.5 pounds (4.77 kilograms) and Harimau Kayu, the largest, at 10.6 pounds (4.83 kilograms).
The cubs are still far too small to go out into the exhibit and will remain in the safety and comfort of the house for the next couple of months. I will be sure to keep you posted on their progress!
Kym Nelson is a senior keeper at the Wild Animal Park.
Read Kym’s previous blog, A Strange New World for Kamau the Lion.
Very cute – how interesting that Damai has apparently inherited her mother’s “attitude” – maybe it’s just having two brothers around!
Can’t wait for them to be out on exhibit.
Congratulations Delta and Utan on three wonder-full little cubs. It sounds like they are very healthy and well adjusted “miniature” tigers. It is amazing how early one’s personality is displayed. Look forward to hearing more in the future.
Wonderful writeup! Beautiful cubs, thank you for sharing them with us.
good job ma tiger.. jacqui shepherd
I can’t wait to see the cubs “live and in person”! I watched 3 baby Sumatran tiger cubs grow up on the video cam at the Smithsonian in Washington, D. C. I’m really looking forwarding to seeing these 3 in person!
I have read that a new tiger enclosure is being built at the Wild Animal Park – do you have a date when that is expected to be completed?
Thank you so much for keeping us updated about these little guys!
Moderator’s note: We are still in the fund-raising phase for the new Tiger Trial project, but you can read more about it and see artist renderings of the project at http://www.sandiegozoo.org/tigertrail/
Good luck with the cubs. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!
Many happy congrats to all at SDZ on the birth of Delta and Utan’s cubs. They are beautiful, and I look forward to hearing more about them!
congrats!! i am always happy to hear when more baby tigers are born. one because i love tigers big and small, but also because the more baby’s that are born the more it might help us understand more about the tiger. this may ultimately help us save the tigers that are in the wild which is i hope is everyone’s main goal.
Darling cubs! Who named Tiger Woods, I bet he is honored. I have 2 brothers and I have a temper too.
Congrats!
thanks for telling us a month late
Will there be any pre-announcement as to when the babies will be let out on exhibit?
Moderator’s note: They should be out in about a month.
Are the tiger cubs still out on exhibit?
Moderator’s note: Yes, they go out with their mother on Wednesdays and weekends, but they are getting so large it’s sometimes hard to tell parent from child!
Love it
I was so inspired by david attenboroughs wildlife documentaries I got so engrossed on the
subject of endangered animals. For those of who are based in UK you can adopt a tiger and the money goes towards the conservation of these animals check out Zoological Society of London.
Moderator’s note: The San Diego Zoo has an adoption program for tigers (and other animals) as well. Visit http://www.sandiegozoo.org/adopt/all_animals.html
The informationl page about tigers was outdated,and I wonder if you have any young tigers onb exhibit this spring,2010?
If so, is one able to take photos of them?
Sincerely,
Jeanne
Moderator’s note: We don’t have any tiger cubs at either facility at this time.
Hi in total how tiger species are there in San diego zoo and in Safari park? and please tell me totally how many tigers are there collectively in the san diego zoo and in park
Moderator’s note: We have 3 Malayan tigers at the Zoo and 1 Bengal and 7 Sumatran tigers at the Park for a total of 11 tigers.
Hi could you please post the blog regarding Tiger river