AssetID: 53081606
Headline: RAW VIDEO: It’s A Girl! Tiger Father Reveals Gender Of New Cub By Destroying Papier Mâché Piñata
Caption: A tiger father has revealed the gender of his new cub by destroying a papier mâché piñata. West Midland Safari Park prepared the sizable piñata for father Nakal, who took great pleasure in tearing it apart, unveiling its vibrant pink contents, which unequivocally signalled that the cub was a female. Following this revelation, the caretakers decided to christen her 'Lestari,' a name derived from Indonesian, signifying eternity and permanence, a nod to the native language of Sumatra, where Sumatran tigers originate. The surprising discovery of the cub's gender occurred earlier than anticipated. The park's veterinary team had to step in after scrutinizing CCTV footage of the cub, which raised concerns. At just four weeks old, the tiger cub displayed weakness in her front limbs that hindered her development. After extensive research and consultations with specialists, the veterinary team initiated a three-week physiotherapy regimen. This program included exercises and the development of walking aids to bolster her leg strength. The sessions were brief to minimize separation from her mother, Dourga. Remarkably, the cub responded exceedingly well and made rapid progress. She now moves about with complete normalcy, actively chasing her mother and exploring her off-show outdoor habitat. The veterinary team is thrilled with her progress and eagerly anticipates her growth. The joyous moment when the striped youngster made her entrance was captured on CCTV at 2:36 am on July 4, 2023. She was born to her 11-year-old mother, Dourga, and nine-year-old father, Nakal, who had been introduced to each other only in August the previous year. This birth marked a significant milestone as Lestari became the first Sumatran tiger cub to be born at the park, representing a momentous victory for conservation. Sumatran tigers are classified as 'critically endangered,' with fewer than 400 individuals remaining in the wild. The survival of the cub has been a collaborative endeavour involving the dedicated keepers and the veterinary team, driven by the urgency of protecting this critically endangered species. Chris Hodgkins, the Head Keeper of Carnivores at the park, expressed his excitement, saying, "The keepers and I are overjoyed by the remarkable improvement in the cub's condition since her diagnosis. She is now moving much more gracefully, and it's heartening to witness the positive impact of our veterinary and keeper care on her mobility. Without a doubt, she's keeping Dourga quite occupied now!" All wild tigers face an uncertain future due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflicts, and poaching for the illicit trade in tiger body parts. The global tiger population is estimated to be less than 4,000, with only 400 of them being Sumatran tigers, making them the most endangered subspecies. The Sumatran tigers at the Safari Park are part of an EEP (EAZA Ex-Situ Programme), a collaborative breeding initiative among European zoos aimed at preserving endangered species. As the keepers are satisfied with Lestari's progress, they have plans to introduce her to the main Tiger Tropics habitat in the coming weeks. Visitors, both day guests and guests staying at Tiger Lodge (the park's onsite accommodation), may soon have the chance to catch glimpses of her.
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