The world's most endangered tigers are having a bit of a moment, with zoos in Memphis, Tenn., and Athens, Greece, unveiling a total of five new cubs in a boost for a species on the edge: fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers are thought to remain in the wild, with about 70 in zoos worldwide. A look at the tigers, which are found only on the Indonesian island that gives them their name:
- Athens: Three 2-month-old Sumatran tiger cubs received identification microchips and their first vaccinations Tuesday at Attica Zoological Park, as part of a global effort to build a backup population. The cubs were born in early July to Toba, their mother, and Argos, their father, who has since died of cancer, per the AP. The two males and a female are expected to take names from characters in Homer's The Odyssey, according to zoo staff.
- Memphis: The city's newest Tigers aren't on the football field—they're behind the scenes at the zoo, reports WREG. The Memphis Zoo has welcomed two female Sumatran tiger cubs, born Aug. 12 to parents Dari and Badar, and it's asking the public to help name them. Staff had only spotted one cub on ultrasound, so the second was a delivery-room surprise. Both are being cared for off exhibit while they nurse, sleep, and gain strength under close watch from keepers and veterinarians. Online voting for names runs through Sept. 15, with six options tied to the total solar eclipse on the cubs' birthday, the "secret" second cub, Dolly Parton, and Tim Curry. The Memphis Zoo is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan for the big cats.
The work, says Dr. Arsenoi Psaroudaki, Attica's zoo and wildlife veterinarian, offers "some hope for safeguarding these really rare cats. It's very humbling to be able to work with the rarest tiger species in the world."
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