Keepers at Longleat have revealed that the two Amur tiger cubs born at the Wiltshire safari park this summer are both girls.
The twins, born to mum Yana and dad Red in July, have now had their first vaccinations, allowing keepers to confirm their sex as well as check that both cubs are healthy.
Amy Waller, Safari Team Manager at Longleat, said the arrival of two females was particularly welcome for the European breeding programme.
“They are both doing really well and to have girls is a fantastic boost for the European breeding programme and means they can stay with mum Yana for longer,” she said.
The cubs have yet to be named. Keepers had been waiting to discover their sex before choosing names and are now watching their personalities develop.
“One of the girls is very mischievous and into everything while the other is more cautious,” said Waller.
Visitors may occasionally be able to spot the youngsters in the Drive-Through Safari if Yana decides to take them outside into the paddock.
The twins are Yana and Red’s third litter. Yana gave birth to four female cubs in 2024, three of which remain at Longleat.
The estate now has what it describes as the largest family of tigers in the UK.
All the cubs are born as part of the European Endangered Species Programme, with animals recommended for relocation eventually moving to other collections to support the conservation of the species.
There are thought to be only around 450 Amur tigers remaining in the wild, making successful breeding programmes an important part of efforts to maintain the species.
The arrival of the tiger cubs forms part of a wider baby boom at Longleat during the estate’s 60th anniversary year.
Longleat is marking 60 years since it opened its Drive-Through Safari in 1966, the first of its kind outside Africa.
Other recent arrivals have included capybaras, wolf pups, cotton-top tamarins, a red panda cub and flamingo chicks.
Tickets for Longleat are available from Longleat.
