Australasian Sumatran Tiger Population

Sali has been transferred from Hamilton Zoo to Auckland Zoo:

From socials:

We’re excited to share that Sumatran tiger Sali had her first opportunity to explore our new ‘Lowlands’ tiger habitat this morning!

Fourteen-year-old Sali has relocated to Auckland Zoo from our friends at Hamilton Zoo as part of the zoos’ global breeding and advocacy programme for this critically endangered big cat, which is now estimated to number fewer than 400 animals in the wild.

Later this year, Auckland Zoo also hopes to welcome a young pair of Sumatran tigers from the United States. The two tigers have been selected by the international breeding programme managers to breed and contribute their valuable genes to the population in Australasia.

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Hamilton Zoo have previously stated this transfer will allow them to receive a male later this year. Likely candidates are Bashi (2007) at Wellington Zoo and Reggie (2016) at Orana Wildlife Park.
Safes
 
Jambo said:
As reported by @Babirusa in the Ballarat Wildlife Park News thread; they will be receiving a new tiger (named Kai). I'm assuming this is seven year old Kai from Dreamworld.

https://www.visitballarat.com.au/whats-on/winter-at-the-ballarat-wildlife-park/
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Sounds likely. Dreamworld like to move their tigers on (especially the males) as they get older. Kai’s younger sister is the new breeding female; and if they decide to breed from the imported females, they’d still have several males to choose from.

Kai is half Sumatran. He was sired by Raja to the hybrid tigress, Nika. Dreamworld had a brief but memorable stint at breeding Sumatrans, but no doubt felt the breeding recommendations didn’t come as frequently as they would have liked.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Sounds likely. Dreamworld like to move their tigers on (especially the males) as they get older. Kai’s younger sister is the new breeding female; and if they decide to breed from the imported females, they’d still have several males to choose from.

Kai is half Sumatran. He was sired by Raja to the hybrid tigress, Nika. Dreamworld had a brief but memorable stint at breeding Sumatrans, but no doubt felt the breeding recommendations didn’t come as frequently as they would have liked.
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Is the region why ZAA couldn't just say to Dreamworld 'You can breed as often as you like as long as they're Sumatran?' is because then every zoo would want to breed to their own requirements rather than the regional plan?

I flip-flop on my personal view on hybrid tigers and I don't love the idea of big cats being bred purely to be handled and so forth, but it is a shame that Dreamworld seem to have given up on Sumatrans.

I could say that it's irrelevant because none of the Sumatrans bred there have become successful breeders - although Sali, raised albeit not born at Dreamworld - has had and raised her own cubs. Does anyone know if her handrearing impacted at all on her breeding at Hamilton?
 
Abbey said:
Is the region why ZAA couldn't just say to Dreamworld 'You can breed as often as you like as long as they're Sumatran?' is because then every zoo would want to breed to their own requirements rather than the regional plan?

I flip-flop on my personal view on hybrid tigers and I don't love the idea of big cats being bred purely to be handled and so forth, but it is a shame that Dreamworld seem to have given up on Sumatrans.

I could say that it's irrelevant because none of the Sumatrans bred there have become successful breeders - although Sali, raised albeit not born at Dreamworld - has had and raised her own cubs. Does anyone know if her handrearing impacted at all on her breeding at Hamilton?
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Great question!

Aside from the backlash they could get from the other zoos (re. one rule for one, one for another), it may also be because any breeding introduction (even between an established pair) carries a degree of risk and since the facilities holding these tigers don’t own them, they in theory need permission to use them this (potentially risky) purpose.

Tigers that have been bred out of recommendation e.g. Lari at Mogo to a hybrid tigress and Raja at Dreamworld to a hybrid tigress were both retired from breeding, so had they been killed during the introductions, it wouldn’t have negatively affected the breeding programme. Similarly, Hamilton Zoo undertook an introduction of two tigers that were retired from the breeding programme for social reasons.

Sali made an excellent mother. The information I was told by her keeper was that since tigers don’t learn by observation, her handraising would have no impact on her (instinctual) maternal behaviour. Handraising can affect social interactions (especially with regards to breeding), but in Sali’s case, she was peer raised alongside a litter of Sumatrans. This clearly gave her the social grounding she needed to breed with Oz. It also helped he was a comparatively docile male, who was tolerant of her playfulness.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Great question!

Aside from the backlash they could get from the other zoos (re. one rule for one, one for another), it may also be because any breeding introduction (even between an established pair) carries a degree of risk and since the facilities holding these tigers don’t own them, they in theory need permission to use them this (potentially risky) purpose.

Tigers that have been bred out of recommendation e.g. Lari at Mogo to a hybrid tigress and Raja at Dreamworld to a hybrid tigress were both retired from breeding, so had they been killed during the introductions, it wouldn’t have negatively affected the breeding programme. Similarly, Hamilton Zoo undertook an introduction of two tigers that were retired from the breeding programme for social reasons.

Sali made an excellent mother. The information I was told by her keeper was that since tigers don’t learn by observation, her handraising would have no impact on her (instinctual) maternal behaviour. Handraising can affect social interactions (especially with regards to breeding), but in Sali’s case, she was peer raised alongside a litter of Sumatrans. This clearly gave her the social grounding she needed to breed with Oz. It also helped he was a comparatively docile male, who was tolerant of her playfulness.
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Thanks for this insightful answer!

In saying that none of the tigers alongside which Sali was peer raised have bred, I think I've generally fallen into the stereotypes about their rearing - that said, I don't know to what extent Indah and Rahni had the opportunity to interact with males.

I don't know whether Indah and Satu at TWPZ ever actually received a breeding recommendation; and Berani died at NZA before he could be physically introduced to Rahni. I think I can sometimes assume that 'male and female at same zoo = breeding recommendation', but that's not always the case - I'd be interesting to hear if others know more than I do.
 
Abbey said:
Thanks for this insightful answer!

In saying that none of the tigers alongside which Sali was peer raised have bred, I think I've generally fallen into the stereotypes about their rearing - that said, I don't know to what extent Indah and Rahni had the opportunity to interact with males.

I don't know whether Indah and Satu at TWPZ ever actually received a breeding recommendation; and Berani died at NZA before he could be physically introduced to Rahni. I think I can sometimes assume that 'male and female at same zoo = breeding recommendation', but that's not always the case - I'd be interesting to hear if others know more than I do.
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It is indeed interesting that none of Soraya’s daughters have bred. Senja (Soraya’s mother raised daughter at Mogo) similarly never bred at Wellington Zoo. The reason was an unusually lengthy introduction phase, followed by the revelation she couldn’t be bred due to receiving immunotherapy for allergies.

A history of interactions with opposite sex siblings are preferable when selecting tigers for breeding and Dreamworld’s run of female cubs did nothing to help matters. They were introduced to the adult hybrids including the elderly Mohan, but the interaction would have been very different versus what they’d get from littermates.

Satu and Indah never received a breeding recommendation to my knowledge. It’s a little strange as the equivalent pairing was made via their younger brother and sister respectively being paired at the National Zoo; though since the original intention was to pair Indah’s sister with Berani (a cousin of Satu), we can assume this match otherwise would never have occurred.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Great question!

Aside from the backlash they could get from the other zoos (re. one rule for one, one for another), it may also be because any breeding introduction (even between an established pair) carries a degree of risk and since the facilities holding these tigers don’t own them, they in theory need permission to use them this (potentially risky) purpose.

Tigers that have been bred out of recommendation e.g. Lari at Mogo to a hybrid tigress and Raja at Dreamworld to a hybrid tigress were both retired from breeding, so had they been killed during the introductions, it wouldn’t have negatively affected the breeding programme. Similarly, Hamilton Zoo undertook an introduction of two tigers that were retired from the breeding programme for social reasons.

Sali made an excellent mother. The information I was told by her keeper was that since tigers don’t learn by observation, her handraising would have no impact on her (instinctual) maternal behaviour. Handraising can affect social interactions (especially with regards to breeding), but in Sali’s case, she was peer raised alongside a litter of Sumatrans. This clearly gave her the social grounding she needed to breed with Oz. It also helped he was a comparatively docile male, who was tolerant of her playfulness.
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Dreamworld (or any other zoo) can breed as many animals as they wish of any species as they wish. All they have to do is enter, say, 100 spaces for tigers in the Census and Plan, to be achieved by breeding to requirements. Of course they would have to build enclosures for 100 tigers and be responsible for their maintenance. The problem always is finding the spaces.
 
MRJ said:
Dreamworld (or any other zoo) can breed as many animals as they wish of any species as they wish. All they have to do is enter, say, 100 spaces for tigers in the Census and Plan, to be achieved by breeding to requirements. Of course they would have to build enclosures for 100 tigers and be responsible for their maintenance. The problem always is finding the spaces.
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Do they not still require a recommendation to breed though? Many zoos have had the space to accomodate offspring bred at their zoo into adulthood, but have not bred until given a recommendation.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Do they not still require a recommendation to breed though? Many zoos have had the space to accomodate offspring bred at their zoo into adulthood, but have not bred until given a recommendation.
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If it is a managed population, which the Sumatran is of course. However if they were to offer 100 spaces to the Sumatran program they would no doubt have no problem getting the required breeding recommendations and transfers, and filling them. That is the issue with maintaining "generic" tigers, it denies spaces to program animals.
 
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MRJ said:
If it is a managed population, which the Sumatran is of course. However if they were to offer 100 spaces to the Sumatran program they would no doubt have no problem getting the required breeding recommendations and transfers, and filling them. That is the issue with maintaining "generic" tigers, it denies spaces to program animals.
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That makes sense then.

It would be much better for all zoos to breed tigers that are part of a breeding program, rather than those who are hybrid. Especially with spatial issues zoos are encountering these days.
 
Historical Timeline of Sumatran Tigers in Australasia (1/3)

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1940’s-1950’s: The Lost Era

The earliest record I can find of a Sumatran tiger held in an Australasian zoo is from 1941. A young male was shipped from Medan and arrived at Taronga Zoo 24/06/1941. He was named Sultan. His fate is unknown, but he presumably died young.

A pair of Sumatran tigers arrived at Taronga Zoo 13/09/1951. The male was named Max and the female was named Cija. They had been wild caught in Sumatra and shipped from Jakarta. They were estimated to be four years old (born 1947) and presented as a gift from the Indonesian government in exchange for two kangaroos, two wallabies and six black swans. Sounds like a fair swap.

Max and Cija produced a litter of four cubs 13/11/1952. Two were rejected by the mother and the remaining two were removed for hand rearing but died the same week they were born. It appears these were the first Sumatran tiger cubs born in Australasia.

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1960’s-1970’s: The Hybrid Era

From the late 1960’s and throughout the 1970’s, there’s a wave of newspaper articles announcing the birth of ‘Sumatran’ tiger cubs at Taronga Zoo - including twins born May 1970 to Duke and Wendy. The accompanying photo however indicates the cubs are hybrids; and since the studbook holds no records of any of these animals, it’s reasonable to assume hybridisation occurred following the 1951 import given Taronga held multiple subspecies throughout the 20th century.

Quintus, a tiger cub born at Taronga in 1967 was another example - further confused by the fact there were multiple tigers named Quintus for the purpose of acting as a mascot for the Fifth Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment. Newspaper photos show his ‘Sumatran’ offspring with a mother who is clearly not a purebred Sumatran tiger.

Bacchus Marsh Lion Park similarly claim to have bred ‘Sumatran’ tiger triplets 19/05/1979 from Taronga bred tigers, which were hybrids.

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Part 2 will cover the 1970’s-1990’s.
Aaaaa
 
Historical Timeline of Sumatran Tigers in Australasia (2/3)

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1970’s-1980’s: The Founder Era

Melbourne Zoo import a male named Djambi 17/09/1976 and become the first regional holder. Djambi was born 26/11/1975 at Rotterdam Zoo and died shortly before his fourth birthday 04/10/1979.

Taronga Zoo import a pair named Nico and Meta 15/01/1979 and become the second regional holder. Nico was born 12/04/1976 at Rotterdam Zoo; Meta was born 25/04/1975 at Rotterdam Zoo.

Melbourne Zoo import a female named Poetry 21/04/1979. Poetry was born 25/08/1978 at Rotterdam Zoo.

Nico and Meta produce their first litter (triplets) 12/10/1980. The two surviving cubs (a male and a female) were named Mandau and Musara and were exported to the Ueno Zoo 14/12/1982.

Melbourne Zoo import a male named Frank 02/06/1981. Frank was born 20/03/1980 at Frankfurt Zoo.

Nico and Meta produce their fifth litter (triplets) 06/09/1985. The two surviving cubs (a male and a female) were named Shiva and Kali. Shiva remained at the zoo to form the next breeding pair; while Kali was exported to the San Diego Zoo 09/07/1987.

Nico and Meta produce their seventh litter (twins) 23/11/1988. The surviving cub (a male) was named Jambi and was exported to Wellington Zoo.

On 17/12/1988, a tragic accident saw zookeeper Victoria Scrivener attacked by Nico and Meta at Taronga Zoo. She subsequently died of her injuries.

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1990’s: The Expansion Era

Frank and Poetry produce their second litter (twins) 27/11/1990. The cubs were named Calang and Seletan. They were sent to the Perth Zoo and Taronga Zoo respectively.

Taronga Zoo receive a female named Selatan from Melbourne Zoo 08/01/1992. Shiva and Selatan form a hugely popular pair that remain unmatched in terms of media attention.

Wellington Zoo import a female named Toba from Rotterdam Zoo 03/05/1992 and became the third regional holder. Toba was born at Rotterdam Zoo 11/05/1990.

Wellington Zoo import a male Jambi from Taronga Zoo 23/12/1992. He kills Toba in a failed introduction 16/05/1993. This remains the only fatal introduction of Sumatran tigers in the region to date.

Perth Zoo receive a male from Melbourne Zoo named Calang 19/01/1994 and become the fourth regional holder.

Wellington Zoo import a female named Cantic 20/03/1994. Cantic was born 15/08/1992 at Arnhem Zoo and remains New Zealand’s last import from outside the region to date.

Shiva and Selatan produce their first litter (twins) 18/11/1994. The surviving cub (a female) is named Kemiri and handraised after Selatan’s milk dries up.

Shiva and Selatan produce their second litter (triplets) 26/10/1995. The male cubs are named Juara, Lari and Ramalon and attract unprecedented levels of visitation.

Adelaide Zoo receive a female from Taronga Zoo named Kemiri 14/11/1995 and become the fifth regional holder.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo receive three male siblings from Taronga Zoo named Juara, Lari and Ramalon 23/10/1996 and become the sixth regional holder.

Jambi and Cantic produce triplets 08/12/1996. The cubs (one male and two females) are named Rokan, Nisha and Malu and are the first of their species born in New Zealand. Rokan remained at the zoo; while Nisha and Malu were transferred to Auckland Zoo.

Poetry dies at Melbourne Zoo 23/11/1997. She remains the longest lived female of her species in the region until 2012.

Auckland Zoo receive two females from Wellington Zoo named Nisha and Malu 05/05/1998 and become the seventh regional holder. Malu is exported to Perth Zoo 16/06/1999.

Frank dies at Melbourne Zoo 20/11/1999. He remains the longest lived individual of his species in the region until 2012 and remains the longest lived male of his species in the region to date.

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Part 3 will cover the 2000’s-2020’s.
Sddd
 
Historical Timeline of Sumatran Tigers in Australasia (3/3)

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2000’s: The Population Boom Era

Jambi and Cantic produce triplets 10/01/2000. The cubs (one male and two females) are named Jaka, Molek and Mencari. This is the first birth of Sumatran tigers in the region to be captured on CCTV.

Calang and Setia produce triplets 14/09/2000. The cubs (two males and one female) are named Berani, Tenang and Setia. They are the first third generation cubs of their species born in Australasia.

Mogo Zoo receive a male named Lari from Adelaide Zoo 21/02/2001 and become the eighth regional holder.

Hamilton Zoo receive three siblings named Jaka, Molek and Mencari from Wellington Zoo 08/03/2001 and become the ninth regional holder.

Jambi dies at Wellington 01/11/2001 after eating contaminated meat supplied by a dog food company. Cantic also eats meat from the same carcass, but recovers.

Tenang is exported to Paignton Zoo in 2002. He remains the only male of his species to be exported outside the region to date.

The National Zoo and Aquarium receive a male tiger named Berani from Perth Zoo 11/04/2002 and become the tenth regional holder.

Dreamworld import a female Sumatran tiger named Soraya 28/10/2003 and become the eleventh regional holder. Soraya was born 09/06/2002 at Berlin Tierpark.

In February 2003, a mentally ill man enters the Sumatran tiger exhibit at Wellington Zoo and is attacked by Rokan. The tiger is driven off by high pressure hoses and the man survives.

Australia Zoo receive three siblings from Mogo Zoo 25/04/2004 and become the twelfth regional holder. The cubs (two males and a female) are named Juma, Ranu and Singha and were born 01/04/2004 to Lari and Malu.

Melbourne Zoo import Binjai 11/06/2004. She was born 30/08/2002 at Rotterdam Zoo. Binjai gives birth to three cubs 28/10/2006 named Satu, Nakal and Isha. They’re the first born at Melbourne Zoo since 1990.

Orana Wildlife Park import two male Sumatran tigers in 2006 and become the thirteenth regional holder. The brothers are named Dumai and Sendiri and were born in a litter of triplets 18/10/2003 at Taronga Zoo to Juara and Assiqua.

Nisha dies 12/05/2006 at Auckland Zoo. She arguably remains the most famous individual tiger in the region via the popularity of the zoo’s television series, which was watched around the globe. Her death was particularly tragic given her young age (nine years) and the fact she was due to receive a mate that year. A young male named Oz arrives later that year and is paired with Molek from Hamilton Zoo.

In 2008, Australia Zoo import three siblings from Indonesia. The cubs (a male and two females) are named Bashi, Kaitlyn and Maneki and are the first tigers to be exported from Indonesia in two decades. The cubs were captive born 04/12/2007 to wild parents at Taman Safari, making them extremely valuable genetically.

Hari and Setia produce their first litter (quadruplets) at Perth Zoo 10/04/2008. A female cub named Sali is the sole survivor of the litter and transferred to Dreamworld to be peer raised alongside their new litter. This is the first example of cross fostering of this species in the region. Sali is also the first fourth generation Sumatran tiger bred in the region.

Oz and Molek produce their first litter (triplets). The cubs (two males and a female) are named Jalur, Cinta and Berani and are the first of their species born at Auckland Zoo.

Nakal drowns at Melbourne Zoo 13/03/2008 in a much publicised incident. It’s the first drowning of this species in the region.

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2010’s: The Consolidation Era

Ramalon and Binjai produce their second litter (quadruplets) 09/02/2010. The cubs (two males and two females) are named Aceh, Hutan, Indrah and Rani and are the first litter of Sumatran tiger quadruplets to survive to adulthood in the region.

In November 2010, Symbio Willdife Park received a sibling pair from Auckland Zoo named Jalur and Cinta and became the fourteenth regional holder.

Satu and Jumilah produce their second litter (triplets) at Taronga Zoo 27/08/2011. The cubs (two males and one female) are named Kembali, Sakti and Kartika. They’re the fifth generation of their family to live at Taronga Zoo (fourth generation descendants of Nico and Meta).

Selatan dies at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in June 2012 at the age of 21 years and six months. This surpasses the previous longevity record set by her parents, who passed away at 19 years of age. It will later be surpassed by her daughter.

Oz and Sali produce their first litter together (twins) at Hamilton Zoo 16/11/2014. The cubs (a male and a female) are named Kembali and Kirana and are the first fifth generation Sumatran tigers born in Australasia. They’re also the first of their species born at Hamilton Zoo and the first to be reared successfully by a hand raised mother.

In 2013, Darling Downs Zoo receive a female tiger named Rani from Melbourne Zoo and become the fifteenth regional holder.

Kaitlyn gives birth to her first litter (twins) at Australia Zoo 22/08/2013. The two cubs (males) are named Hunter and Clarence.

In 2017, Taronga Zoo open their Tiger Trek complex. It remains the largest complex for this species in the region.

Kemiri dies at Adelaide Zoo 28/06/2017 at the age of 22 years and seven months. This surpasses the previous longevity record set by her mother in 2012.

Tasmania Zoo receive a male and female named Jalur and Cinta from Symbio Wildlife Park 12/06/2018 and become the sixteenth regional holder. Their transfer makes Symbio Wildlife Park the only holder to date to phase out this species.

In December 2018, Ballarat Wildlife Park receive a female named Maneki from Australia Zoo and become the seventeenth regional holder.

In 2019, Sydney Zoo receive a male tiger named Raja from Dreamworld and become the eighteenth regional holder.

Clarence and Kartika produce their first litter of cubs (triplets) 17/01/2019. They’re the sixth generation of their family to live at Taronga Zoo and the first born in the new complex.

Berani dies at Auckland Zoo 28/07/2019, leaving the zoo without Sumatran tigers for nearly three years while they construct a new exhibit.

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2020’s: The Rejuvination Era

Kaitlyn gives birth to her fourth litter (triplets) at Australia Zoo 18/02/2020, becoming the first Sumatran tiger to give birth to four litters in the region since 1985.

In 2022, Auckland Zoo open their new Sumatran tiger complex as part of the South East Asia trail. It’s the second largest complex in Australasia after Taronga Zoo’s complex. The

In April 2022, Auckland Zoo receive a female tiger named Sali from Hamilton Zoo; while a new pair will be imported in late 2022. Sali is the zoo’s first Sumatran tiger in three years.

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Well that concludes the timeline of key events. Please note, it’s not an exhaustive list (especially in terms of births); but does include all holders in order of acquisition.

Summary of Holders

1. Melbourne Zoo (1976)
2. Taronga Zoo (1979)
3. Wellington Zoo (1992)
4. Perth Zoo (1994)
5. Adelaide Zoo (1995)
6. Taronga Western Plains Zoo (1996)
7. Auckland Zoo (1998-2019)/(2022)
8. Mogo Zoo (2001)
9. Hamilton Zoo (2001)
10. National Zoo and Aquarium (2002)
11. Dreamworld (2003)
12. Australia Zoo (2004)
13. Orana Wildlife Park (2006-2019)/(2020)
14. Symbio Willdife Park (2010-2018) Phased Out
15. Darling Downs Zoo (2013)
16. Tasmania Zoo (2018)
17. Ballarat Wildlife Park (2018)
18. Sydney Zoo (2019)
Ggggg
 
Thank you @Zoofan15 for your comprehensive overview of Australia's Sumatran Tiger history. It's great reading, especially to recap how the number of holders grew over time.

I have a question about Lari (born at Taronga, died at Mogo). I recall reading a children's book about Taronga's animals (which I thinking was published around 1999), which named him Pepper, after the studbook keeper David Pepper Edwards. I've also read through @jay's ozzoos website, that he was originally named Dougall at Mogo, I believe after a donor who assisted in bringing him to Mogo. Was Lari in fact the original name given to him, or was this a later name?

Until I read your timeline, I didn't realise Perth's somewhat pioneering role in breeding the first third and fourth generation cubs in the region. The Frank x Poetry-Selatan-Jambi-Malu-Setia-Sali-Kirana's cubs line is indeed underrated but prolific.

It wouldn't have been significant enough an event to warrant inclusion on the timeline, but did Adelaide ever receive a male to pair with Kemiri?
 
Abbey said:
Thank you @Zoofan15 for your comprehensive overview of Australia's Sumatran Tiger history. It's great reading, especially to recap how the number of holders grew over time.

I have a question about Lari (born at Taronga, died at Mogo). I recall reading a children's book about Taronga's animals (which I thinking was published around 1999), which named him Pepper, after the studbook keeper David Pepper Edwards. I've also read through @jay's ozzoos website, that he was originally named Dougall at Mogo, I believe after a donor who assisted in bringing him to Mogo. Was Lari in fact the original name given to him, or was this a later name?

Until I read your timeline, I didn't realise Perth's somewhat pioneering role in breeding the first third and fourth generation cubs in the region. The Frank x Poetry-Selatan-Jambi-Malu-Setia-Sali-Kirana's cubs line is indeed underrated but prolific.

It wouldn't have been significant enough an event to warrant inclusion on the timeline, but did Adelaide ever receive a male to pair with Kemiri?
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Thanks @Abbey, I enjoyed making it and it was interesting to see the evolution of such a wide spread breeding programme from just two initial holders. It’d be cool to see a similar trend with Sri Lankan leopard over the next few decades.

Haha funnily enough I too read that book too as a kid! I haven’t seen it again since then so thanks for reminding me of the reason he was nicknamed Pepper. Lari was the original name - it translates to “run” or “race” in Indonesian. It’s been occasionally been misreported as Larry in some media articles. He was supposedly renamed Dougall, but it never stuck.

Yeah it was interesting how the Nico/Meta and Frank/Poetry lines were combined. I also realised the other day that Sali (Auckland’s new tiger) is the grandaughter of Malu, who lived at Auckland Zoo in 1998-1999. I’m surprised they haven’t mentioned that in their media releases.

Adelaide did receive a male to pair with Kemiri. He was named Tiger Boy and he was born 1990 at Krefeld Zoo. He died at Adelaide Zoo in 2008. I chose to leave it out as I didn’t have a date of arrival (or even a year of arrival) for Tiger Boy and they never bred.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Thanks @Abbey, I enjoyed making it and it was interesting to see the evolution of such a wide spread breeding programme from just two initial holders. It’d be cool to see a similar trend with Sri Lankan leopard over the next few decades.

Haha funnily enough I too read that book too as a kid! I haven’t seen it again since then so thanks for reminding me of the reason he was nicknamed Pepper. Lari was the original name - it translates to “run” or “race” in Indonesian. It’s been occasionally been misreported as Larry in some media articles. He was supposedly renamed Dougall, but it never stuck.

Yeah it was interesting how the Nico/Meta and Frank/Poetry lines were combined. I also realised the other day that Sali (Auckland’s new tiger) is the grandaughter of Malu, who lived at Auckland Zoo in 1998-1999. I’m surprised they haven’t mentioned that in their media releases.

Adelaide did receive a male to pair with Kemiri. He was named Tiger Boy and he was born 1990 at Krefeld Zoo. He died at Adelaide Zoo in 2008. I chose to leave it out as I didn’t have a date of arrival (or even a year of arrival) for Tiger Boy and they never bred.
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Thanks for all of that. I'd not made the connection regarding Sali either, but that's lovely that it's turned out that she is continuing to represent one of Auckland's original tigers, now in their new exhibit.
 
Abbey said:
Thanks for all of that. I'd not made the connection regarding Sali either, but that's lovely that it's turned out that she is continuing to represent one of Auckland's original tigers, now in their new exhibit.
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Nisha and Malu were both popular through the zoo’s television programme, but given Malu was exported to Australia a year after they arrived, Nisha was the more famous of the two.

Malu’s name means “shy” in Indonesian and during her time at Auckland Zoo, this was especially apt. She refused to come out on exhibit until it was night time and the visitors had gone home. This was the reason Nisha was retained (since she’d settled in well), when the studbook coordinator recommended one of them be sent to Perth.

A similar trend was observed with Malu’s sister, Molek, who transferred to Auckland Zoo in 2006 and took close to two years to adjust to the exhibit. It was determined the reason was that cats hate being looked down on from above and the pit style exhibit intimidated them. Malu would be pleased her grandaughter can now look down on the visitors instead. :cool:
 
Zorro said:
While 18 zoos are listed how many would be only single animal holders?
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Currently:

Auckland - 0.1 Sali (2008)
Ballarat - 1.0 Satu (2005)
Darling Downs - 0.1 Rani (2010)
Perth - 1.0 Jaya (2008)
Sydney - 1.0 Raja (2003)

Orana Wildlife Park will soon have one tiger, as one of their two males is transferring to Hamilton Zoo; while Auckland Zoo can soon be removed from this list as they plan to import a breeding pair this year.

Perth Zoo will likely take a break from tigers once their male passes. His health is precarious and they will use the break to develop a new exhibit for them as detailed in the masterplan. Auckland Zoo had a similar break of three years while building their new complex that opened this year.
 
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