Endangered Cat Being Hand-reared at Park’s Animal Care Center
A single male Sumatran tiger cub was born at 1:54 a.m. Sept. 14 at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Tull Family Tiger Trail, to first-time tiger parents Teddy and Joanne. Although Joanne cared for the cub the first few days, keepers noticed he was losing weight, and felt he wasn’t receiving the proper care he needed to thrive. The Safari Park’s animal care team then made the difficult decision to hand-rear the cub. He was moved to the Ione and Paul Harter Animal Care Center at the Safari Park, where he is now being cared for around the clock.
The cub is the 26th endangered Sumatran tiger to be born at the Safari Park, and he is the first cub to be hand-reared at the park since 1984. At the care center, he’s being bottle fed seven times a day—with a formula made especially for carnivores that is easy to digest, made from goats’ milk.
“We’re very happy with our little cub’s progress; he took to the bottle and started nursing right away,” said Lissa McCaffree, lead keeper, Mammal department. “He’s been gaining weight very consistently each day, and last night he reached a milestone—he opened his eyes for the first time.”
The cub now weighs 3.36 pounds and is gaining strength in his legs, walking around his nursery enclosure. He’s also learning to make tiger vocalizations, such as meows, grunts, and low chuffing sounds. Chuffing is a vocalization tigers make as a way to express excitement, or as a greeting.
Guests will be able to see the cub in the near future at the Ione and Paul Harter Animal Care Center at the Safari Park during his bottle feeding times, which will be posted daily in front of the viewing window.

With the addition of this tiny cub, the Safari Park is now home to seven Sumatran tigers. There are fewer than 350 Sumatran tigers in the wild, and that number continues to drop. Scientists estimate that this species could be extinct in its native Sumatra by 2020, unless measures are taken to protect and preserve it.
Tigers face many challenges in the wild, from loss of habitat to conflicts with humans, but the biggest threat continues to be poaching. Tigers are killed by poachers who illegally sell tiger body parts, mostly for folk remedies. People can help protect wild tigers by avoiding products made with non-sustainable palm oil, an industry that harms tiger habitat; and by refusing to purchase items made from endangered wildlife.
Bringing species back from the brink of extinction is the goal of San Diego Zoo Global. As a leader in conservation, the work of San Diego Zoo Global includes on-site wildlife conservation efforts (representing both plants and animals) at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, as well as international field programs on six continents. The work of these entities is inspiring children through the San Diego Zoo Kids network, reaching out through the Internet and in children’s hospitals nationwide. The work of San Diego Zoo Global is made possible by the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy and is supported in part by the Foundation of San Diego Zoo Global.
I am putting in a request For a video of Rakan doing something in YouTube or etc ok? Let me know if you can.
It doesn’t have to be a video of them, I just want updated videos of Rakan and the other tiger’s.
Hi blog monitor, can you pass requests on for the tigers to put on instagram?
If so can you ask them if they could post a video of Rakan “howdying) Langka?
Let me know if you can.
Blog Monitor’s note: I will pass the request on. Keep a tiger’s-eye peeled especially on Saturdays which is “Caterday” on IG. They often post pictures of tigers on that day…or any of our many other Felidae (that’s the taxonmic Family of cats) members. I don’t know that they have video of Rakan and Langka, though.
Hi blog monitor, I have a question. I don’t know if you can answer or not.
Do the keepers give birthday Erichment for their tigers? Or it is just a normal day for them?
Do you know if Majel is pregnant yet?
I’m a also confused that the Lincoln’s children’s zoo hasn’t said anything on Facebook, Twitter, instagram, or YouTube. They will probably post it soon? I will still read zoonooz blogs, I am just taking a long break from posting comments.
Is it ok if I still call them Suka and Nelson?
Blog Monitor’s note: You can call them whatever you’d like!
Blog monitor, this will be one of the last times I post a comment. I am going to take a break.
Blog Monitor’s note: Be well!
Sorry blog monitor, I just don’t like the names at all. I am a but confused and a bit mad. I am confused because it was such a shock and that teh zoo hasn’t said anything about it on instagram? I am mad because there has been no picture posepted od them there yet.
Blog Monitor’s note: As a matter of policy, San Diego Zoo Global never announces an animal move before it happens, and usually we don’t mention it afterwards. Once an animal goes to live http://zoonooz.sandiegozoo.org/wp-admin/comment.php?c=144125&action=spamcomment&_wpnonce=8ea796ef15at another zoo, we don’t post pictures or updates because our staff is busy caring for the animals that are here. Sometimes keepers may hear from keepers from other zoos or ask about animals when they see the other keepers at workshops, etc., but that information doesn’t usually trickle down to my department. I understand you’re going to take a break from posting, and I understand—enjoy your time and do lots of reading about the animals you love…and maybe even read about some you don’t think you love, but just don’t know about. 😉
To everyone, his name is now Suka and he lives with his brother Nelson. They live at Lincoln’s children’s zoo. They renamed them Kumar and Axl. Stupid names! At least tehy have each other
Blog Monitor’s note: The names mean something to the people who chose them, even if you liked the names they had here better. It would be a good habit to learn to say something like “I liked the other names” instead of what you did say. I know you’re 10 years old, so I want to help you grow into a respectful person. 🙂
To everyone, his name is now Suka and he lives with his brother Nelson. They live at Lincoln’s children’s zoo. They renamed them Kumar and Axl. Stupid names!
I am a fifth grade student and I am very interested in how tigers are cared for at your zoo. Can you please email me any information you can about how tigers are cared for at the zoo? I was wondering about how to keep the tigers calm when you are caring for them and how long does a check up take.
Thank you,
Angelina