Sumatran Tiger Cub Born At Indonesian Zoo

Recently a Sumatran tiger cub was born at an Indonesian as a direct consequence of conservationist efforts to raise the country’s population of the species which is now listed as being critically endangered. The video shows the cute little critter wandering about its cage trying to get a sense of its surroundings. At the moment the tiger’s handlers have not been able to tell whether the cub is male or female because its mother has been a tad bit aggressive protecting her baby. The new arrival along with its mother are joined by only 10 other Sumatran tigers that live at the zoo.

Some conservation facts

It is believed there are less than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild. These tigers have a distinctive orange coat with heavy black stripes. Though the Sumatran tiger is the smallest of all species of tigers, they can easily weigh as much as 500 pounds.  The main threat to the species is from poaching and habitat loss. Unfortunately scientists reckon that we could lose the Sumatran tiger altogether by 2020 unless urgent measures are enacted to protect the species. Despite greater conservation efforts, demand for tiger body parts remains strong throughout East Asia which is a strong incentive for poaching.