Philadelphia, PA — Visitors to the Philadelphia Zoo will soon hear the pitter-patter of little cat feet—today the Zoo proudly announced the birth of three rare Amur (AH-moor) tiger cubs in Bank of America Big Cat Falls.
Tiger mom Kira gave birth overnight, and Kira and her cubs appear to be healthy and resting comfortably. Her keepers monitor Kira and her new family through cameras in her cubbing den. Female tigers keep their cubs hidden after they're born, and the tiger family will remain off-exhibit at the Zoo for about three months so that Kira can care for her cubs in privacy. Visitors can continue to see the Zoo’s male tiger, Dmitri, the father of the new cubs, in the tiger habitat at Bank of America Big Cat Falls daily. Tiger cubs are very dependent on their mothers at birth. They are most vulnerable during their first week or so and often only part of a litter survives. The Zoo is optimistic that some or all of the new babies will thrive since Kira is an experienced mother who already has reared three healthy sets of cubs. The Zoo will post video of the cubs and Kira soon.
The cubs were born to female Kira, who came to the Zoo from Germany in 1998, and male Dmitri, who came to Philadelphia from the Little Rock Zoo last year. Kira and Dmitri are two of the most genetically valuable Amur tigers in the United States. Today's birth is the result of a national effort by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to ensure a healthy zoo population of this endangered big cat.
The Zoo asks members and all visitors to consider making a contribution to the care and feeding of its growing Amur tiger family by making a tiger "adoption" online here.
Amur tigers are the largest of all big cats. Adult male tigers can reach weights of 400 to 700 pounds, while females can reach 250 to 400 pounds. There are only about 400 Amur (formerly known as Siberian) tigers left in the wild. The Philadelphia Zoo, in addition to participating in the AZA breeding program, works to save Amur tigers in the wild through support of the Tigris Foundation.
The Philadelphia region's leading family destination, the Zoo welcomed more than 1.2 million visitors last year. One of the region's foremost conservation organizations, the Zoo is home to nearly 1,300 animals, many of which are rare and endangered. The Zoo, fulfilling its mission of conservation, science, education and recreation, supports and engages in conservation efforts to protect endangered species around the world. The Philadelphia Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.