A quartet of adorable Amur tiger cubs have made their debut at Longleat Safari Park, much to the delight of the park’s staff and visitors.
Their arrival marks a significant milestone for the international breeding programme, as the Amur tiger is currently classified as endangered. With these new additions, Longleat now boasts the largest collection of Amur tigers in the UK, and the cubs represent over a quarter of all births across Europe in the past two years.
Born just a week ago, these precious babies are currently under the care of their mother, Yana. Keepers are hopeful that visitors will have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of them in the park this summer, once they have received their vaccinations. As of now, the genders of the cubs remain unknown, and they are yet to be named.
Darren Beasley, Head of Animal Operations at Longleat, expressed his excitement about the cubs’ arrival, particularly coinciding with Endangered Species Day yesterday.
“It is estimated that there are only 450 Amur tigers remaining in the wild, making it one of the most endangered animals in the world,” said Beasley. “The birth of four Amur tigers gives a vital boost to the European breeding programme for the species.”
Yana, the proud mother, is no stranger to motherhood, having given birth to two cubs in 2019—Rusty and Yuki. Rusty has since relocated to Blackpool as part of the breeding programme.
The newborns will rely on their mother’s milk for approximately six months before transitioning to a diet of meat. Both Yana and the father, Red, are nine years old, with the cubs almost arriving on Red’s birthday, 17th May.
Longleat Safari Park, which opened in 1966 as the first safari park outside of Africa, is dedicated to supporting conservation efforts for endangered species, including the majestic Amur tiger.
