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Double the stripes, double the fun: Rosamond Gifford Zoo unveils playful Amur tiger twins
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The two newest additions to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo family were officially introduced Tuesday.
County Executive Ryan McMahon was at the zoo to unveil the Amur tiger cubs. Tuesday is the first day the sister and brother pair will be on exhibit for the public.
The cubs were born to mother Zaya and father Thimbu on April 29.
“Zeya has been a tremendous first-time mother and really took to the cubs, and that's kind of why we are here today. The cubs spent the summer in an off-exhibit where many people could see them and record them. They have now been fully vaccinated and are healthy,” McMahon said.
The cubs were released into the exhibit, where they immediately began running and pouncing on each other.
“And like any kitten you've ever seen, all they want to do is really play and explore and then sleep. Oh yeah, and eat,” said Rosamond Gifford Zoo Director Ted Fox.
Zeya and the twin cubs are being housed together, while father Thimbu will be kept separately until the cubs are older.
“We were all concerned that she might do what her mother did, which was reject the cubs,” Fox said. “And she didn't. She was an exemplary mother right from the second.”
Zeya’s acceptance of her cubs was paramount because Amur tigers are an endangered species. According to Fox, there are only 400 left in the wild and about 120 in human care.
The twin cubs can now be seen by the public at the Amur tiger exhibit at the zoo.
Amur tiger cub at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Amur tiger cubs at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Amur tiger cub at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Amur tiger Mom Zeya at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo
County Executive McMahon Announces Amur Tiger Cubs On Exhibit
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo announces that two Amur tiger cubs, born in late April to mother Zeya, will be viewable to the public in their exhibit on the Wildlife Trail starting Tuesday, September 5.
The cubs — a male named Zuzaan, and female named Soba (pronounced ‘Zova’) — were born on the morning of April 29.
After our tiger care specialists noticed the male cub had thick stripes, they decided to name him ‘Zuzaan,’ a Mongolian word meaning ‘thick.’
The female cub has a birthmark on the back of her neck that bears uncanny resemblance to the face of a barn owl, so the team named her ‘Soba,’ the Russian word for ‘owl.’
Since then, they have spent the summer in an off-exhibit den with Zeya while they received necessary
vaccinations to provide them with immunity to common diseases and infections that they may encounter in their exhibit.
While the cubs stayed close to Zeya in the first month of life, they’ve grown more explorative and rambunctious in the past few months, and have begun to venture outside of their den to explore the outdoor portion of their home.
“It is quite a privilege to be able to see not one, but two of these rare tiger cubs at our zoo,” County Executive Ryan McMahon said. “The birth of these special, striped cubs is a big success for our zoo and community, and it's all thanks to the diligence and expertise of the animal care team at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.”
Amur tigers are the largest feline species on Earth, but their population is one of the smallest — the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has determined that less than 400 of these Critically Endangered cats remain in the wild.
Along with other Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) -accredited institutions, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo participates in the Amur tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP), which seeks to contribute new generations of genetically diverse Amur tigers to the currently declining population.
The goal of all SSPs is to reverse negative population trends of species at risk of extinction, with the goal of one day, potentially taking these animals born in human care and introducing them into the wild.
“Since the birth of the cubs, our team of tiger care specialists have worked tirelessly to provide routine vaccinations and regular health check-ups to ensure their well-being,” Executive Zoo Director Ted Fox said. “We’ve all waited for this moment, and know the public is anxious to see them.
Now we get to enjoy seeing the curious tiger cubs as they explore their exhibit — all while knowing that the care they received these past few months has set them up for a lifetime of health and success.”
The zoo has cared for Zeya and the cubs’ father, Thimbu, for over three years, but the process of introducing them was long, slow, and unpredictable.
The zoo’s goal has always been to pair these tigers to breed, but as apex predators, this species of cat is incredibly complex.
After years of introductions, Zeya and Thimbu have welcomed their first cubs, passing along their crucial genetics to a new generation of Amur tigers.
“Thimbu has four siblings, but he is the first of the five to have sired cubs,” said Fox. “Zeya was hand-reared by Beardsley Zoo personnel after her mother was uninterested in raising her.
The birth of any Amur tiger cub is remarkable, but with all the factors in this instance, these cubs are truly extraordinary.”
Unlike her mother, Zeya instinctually took to motherhood, and has diligently raised her cubs throughout the past three months.
Visitors will now be able to see Zeya and her cubs on exhibit at the Wildlife Trail, weather permitting.
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