Four rare Amur tiger cubs have experienced the outdoors for the first time. Born at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire in May, the cubs were introduced to a paddock this week alongside their nine-year-old mother, Yana.
The cubs will gradually become accustomed to the outside world, with plans to move them into the main paddock by late summer. “Days like this are what keepers dream about,” said Eloise Kilbane, their lead keeper at Longleat.
Yana led her cubs into the paddock, where she began rolling, scratching, and marking her scent. Kilbane noted that this behavior highlights the “success” of the park’s breeding program, reflecting the tigers’ happiness and health in their environment.
Darren Beasley, head of animal operations at Longleat, explained, “We want to ensure the cubs are confident and that Yana is comfortable with their surroundings. We will allow them short periods in the paddock near their house each day to help them acclimate to the new smells and textures before transitioning them to a more visible area in the safari park.”
Beasley also mentioned that updates on the cubs’ timeline will be available on the park’s website, so visitors can know when to look for them.
The cubs are Yana’s second litter, following the birth of Rusty and Yuki in 2019. Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers, are native to the far east of Russia and are among the world’s most endangered species, with only about 450 left in the wild. The species was on the brink of extinction in the 1940s due to hunting and logging, with the population once dwindling to as few as 20 to 30 animals.