Help ID a vintage tiger photo!

[kermodei]

Hello all!
I'm hoping this is the right section to post this, as it is a historical zoo photo...

I'm looking for a little help on finding the context/background information (e.g. where it was taken) for the following photo of a Caspian tigress:

Also! If anyone is able, I'd be eternal grateful for a translation of the accompanying text (Google Translate is only so helpful haha). Thank you!

 

[TeaLovingDave]

I'm looking for a little help on finding the context/background information (e.g. where it was taken) for the following photo of a Caspian tigress:

The text reads roughly as follows:

Zoological document of rare value: probably the last photograph of a Turan Tiger. It shows a young female who was displayed in a zoo around thirty years ago. On closer inspection, the deviations from the appearance of other tiger forms are apparent. One famous zoologist initially thought that the stocky pug head of this species was an individual deformity.

This female was displayed at Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, and died in 1960.

 

[Pertinax]

The text reads roughly as follows:

Zoological document of rare value: probably the last photograph of a Turan Tiger. It shows a young female who was displayed in a zoo around thirty years ago. On closer inspection, the deviations from the appearance of other tiger forms are apparent. One famous zoologist initially thought that the stocky pug head of this species was an individual deformity.

This female was displayed at Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, and died in 1960.

There are a couple of good colour photos of her too. I know her name but can't currently remember it.

 

[Zoofan15]

There are a couple of good colour photos of her too. I know her name but can't currently remember it.

Here’s one: Image - Panthera tigris virgata (Caspian Tiger) | BioLib.cz

Her name was Soraya and she died in 1960, where she was believed to be the last Caspian tiger in captivity.

 

[Pertinax]

Here’s one: Image - Panthera tigris virgata (Caspian Tiger) | BioLib.cz

Her name was Soraya and she died in 1960, where she was believed to be the last Caspian tiger in captivity.

That's it. Well done. Knew it started with an 's'. Fascinating photos- few people realised there was one in a zoo back then, I visited Hamburg just a few years later but had no idea they had kept this tiger there.

 

[kermodei]

My sincerest gratitude for your help everyone !! (And especially for that translation,
@TeaLovingDave !)

According to the site @Zoofan15 shared, Soraya arrived at the zoo in 1955...? Do we have any idea where she originated from, though? I imagine the wild, of course, but the Caspian tiger had quite the range.

 

[Zoofan15]

According to the site @Zoofan15 shared, Soraya arrived at the zoo in 1955...? Do we have any idea where she originated from, though? I imagine the wild, of course, but the Caspian tiger had quite the range.

She was a gift from the Persian Shah and arrived with a male tiger that she outlived. She was named Soraya after the Queen consort of the same name.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

She was a gift from the Persian Shah and arrived with a male tiger that she outlived.

...and also rather a lot of Persian Onager!

Somewhere in one of my Hagenbeck guidebooks I am fairly sure there are further details about the import; I shall have to root them out.

 

[kermodei]

@Zoofan15 Very interesting! I imagine the other tiger was from the Caspian population as well? Shame the pair didn't reproduce in captivity.

@TeaLovingDave Do let me know if/when you dig them out, as I'd be incredibly interested to hear more on the situation!

 

[Zoofan15]

@Zoofan15 Very interesting! I imagine the other tiger was from the Caspian population as well? Shame the pair didn't reproduce in captivity.

@TeaLovingDave Do let me know if/when you dig them out, as I'd be incredibly interested to hear more on the situation!

Yes, I imagine he would have been as Caspian tiger also. She was at the zoo for five years and there's little mention of him at all, so I would summise he died not long after their arrival. It wpuld have been great to have seen Caspian tiger cubs from this pair. They're a fascinating subspecies.

 

[kermodei]

Yes, I imagine he would have been as Caspian tiger also. She was at the zoo for five years and there's little mention of him at all, so I would summise he died not long after their arrival. It wpuld have been great to have seen Caspian tiger cubs from this pair. They're a fascinating subspecies.

Ahh I see, what a shame :c I wonder what got to him, perhaps the stress of the journey? Same with Soraya, as I can't imagine her death was simply age related...

 

[Zoofan15]

Ahh I see, what a shame :c I wonder what got to him, perhaps the stress of the journey? Same with Soraya, as I can't imagine her death was simply age related...

It's hard to say without knowing their ages on arrival. If they were older, it may explain why they never bred as Soraya would have stopped cycling.

Kidney disease is common in older tigers as well as cancer etc. but this is just guessing as I have no further info.

 

[Pertinax]

There is another colour photo of this tigress,where she is smelling the ground. Perhaps taken at the same time as the other one? Very few good photos of Caspian tigers exist.

 

[Zoofan15]

There is another colour photo of this tigress,where she is smelling the ground. Perhaps taken at the same time as the other one? Very few good photos of Caspian tigers exist.

Here’s the photo: https://www.pinterest.nz/pin/451626668865507174/

It was likely taken around the same time (even the same day) as the previous photo as the photographer (Klaus Rudloff) is the same.

It’s been interesting to see a female of this subspecies as I’d previously only see a male (with a distinctive ruff).

 

[Pertinax]

Here’s the photo: https://www.pinterest.nz/pin/451626668865507174/

It was likely taken around the same time (even the same day) as the previous photo as the photographer (Klaus Rudloff) is the same.

It’s been interesting to see a female of this subspecies as I’d previously only see a male (with a distinctive ruff).

They had distinctive tail markings apparently, those wedge-shaped blocks of coloured striping. Also supposed to have a distinctive shortened 'pug-face' which the Berlin photos appear to show, but not noticeable in these photos of Soraya.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Somewhere in one of my Hagenbeck guidebooks I am fairly sure there are further details about the import; I shall have to root them out.

@kermodei - As promised, the relevant section from the first guidebook published after the Persian Onager import, along with the front cover of said guidebook:

 

[Pertinax]

@kermodei - As promised, the relevant section from the first guidebook published after the Persian Onager import, along with the front cover of said guidebook:

Any infomation on the Caspian tigers in this edition of the guidebook(or any other)?

 

[kermodei]

@kermodei - As promised, the relevant section from the first guidebook published after the Persian Onager import, along with the front cover of said guidebook:

Oh my thanks !! Those images are wonderful (and the cover art is gorgeous!), a very special glimpse into the past. My thanks once again for sharing!

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Any infomation on the Caspian tigers in this edition of the guidebook(or any other)?

Within this edition, only the following passing mention within a list of other species within the import:



Unfortunately, the next guidebook chronologically-speaking within my personal collection dates to *after* the death of Soraya, and correspondingly does not mention her at all. If I obtain a guidebook from the intervening timespan, I shall naturally check for any/all information which it may contain on the subject!

Oh my thanks !! Those images are wonderful (and the cover art is gorgeous!), a very special glimpse into the past. My thanks once again for sharing!

Anytime

 

[Zulfu Farajli]

Some information about Soraya already mentioned, however wanted to add that she was one of last Caspian tigers in captivity and her video (below) is the only footage of Caspian tigers I came across.