Australasian Sumatran Tiger Population

[Zoofan15]

I was at the zoo on the weekend and the cub was on display in the small habitat with the mother.

That’s great news they’ve fully reopened the habitat. All signs are looking good at this stage, so fingers crossed the cub continues to progress. After the effort to bring Ramah and Zayana over and the previous set backs they’ve experienced, the zoo really deserve a positive outcome with this cub.

 

[ApeLadyNZ]

I was at the zoo on the weekend and the cub was on display in the small habitat with the mother.

This is amazing news! How are Zayana and her daughter doing, and how was Zayana behaving around the cub? I hope we will hear news of a name for the cub soon!

 

[ApeLadyNZ]

That’s great news they’ve fully reopened the habitat. All signs are looking good at this stage, so fingers crossed the cub continues to progress. After the effort to bring Ramah and Zayana over and the previous set backs they’ve experienced, the zoo really deserve a positive outcome with this cub.

I will definitely look out for Zayana and the little one next time I am at the zoo. It was a real tragedy that the male cub perished, but I have high hopes for the female and I am glad that Zayana is successfully mothering her!

 

[Zoofan15]

I will definitely look out for Zayana and the little one next time I am at the zoo. It was a real tragedy that the male cub perished, but I have high hopes for the female and I am glad that Zayana is successfully mothering her!

The small exhibit is perfectly designed for rearing (and apparently birthing) young cubs as it’s for the most part a safe environment and offers some privacy. It’s a stark contrast to the 1922 lion pit, which offered minimal privacy and would have proved treacherous for cubs to navigate at the neonatal stage.

Zayana is a confident tigress, often coming right up to the window, so what I’m most looking forward to is when the cub is at the juvenile stage and confidently exploring the medium exhibit.

The successful parent rearing of a single Sumatran tiger cub isn’t something the region has seen since the late 80’s, but it’s clear when there’s only offspring, it resonates more with the public. Perhaps because humans typically birth a single baby; or perhaps because people identify more with an animal when they can confidently identify it versus a litter of tigers where the average person can’t tell them apart.

 

[ApeLadyNZ]

The small exhibit is perfectly designed for rearing (and apparently birthing) young cubs as it’s for the most part a safe environment and offers some privacy. It’s a stark contrast to the 1922 lion pit, which offered minimal privacy and would have proved treacherous for cubs to navigate at the neonatal stage.

Zayana is a confident tigress, often coming right up to the window, so what I’m most looking forward to is when the cub is at the juvenile stage and confidently exploring the medium exhibit.

The successful parent rearing of a single Sumatran tiger cub isn’t something the region has seen since the late 80’s, but it’s clear when there’s only offspring, it resonates more with the public. Perhaps because humans typically birth a single baby; or perhaps because people identify more with an animal when they can confidently identify it versus a litter of tigers where the average person can’t tell them apart.

Although the loss of the male cub was deeply tragic, I am hopeful that it will be as you've said and the little female will thrive. With Zayana being a confident mother, I think that the cub in turn will be quite a confident youngster, and maybe, for a time, rival the star power of young orangutan Bahmi. No other animal infant has come close to Bahmi's popularity with visitors, what with rhino calf Amali grown considerably in size now and new giraffe baby Enzi being the second giraffe calf in a short space of time!

 

[Zoofan15]

Although the loss of the male cub was deeply tragic, I am hopeful that it will be as you've said and the little female will thrive. With Zayana being a confident mother, I think that the cub in turn will be quite a confident youngster, and maybe, for a time, rival the star power of young orangutan Bahmi. No other animal infant has come close to Bahmi's popularity with visitors, what with rhino calf Amali grown considerably in size now and new giraffe baby Enzi being the second giraffe calf in a short space of time!

There’s no doubt in my mind this tiger cub will soon be the zoo’s star attraction. The public has always had a fascination with big cats and nothing beats a charismatic cub.

Auckland Zoo have done a fantastic job at including the community in the cub’s journey. Zayana’s pregnancy was announced early on; and the birth was announced within 48 hours of her arrival into the world!

While the newspapers created sensations out of previous animal stars such as Chimo the Polar bear cub; social media will allow this cub to reach a global audience and people all around the world to follow her progress. Her US born parents are well known to those who follow the Sumatran tiger breeding programme in North America; and Auckland Zoo and its residents have a European following via The Zoo tv series.

 

[ApeLadyNZ]

There’s no doubt in my mind this tiger cub will soon be the zoo’s star attraction. The public has always had a fascination with big cats and nothing beats a charismatic cub.

Auckland Zoo have done a fantastic job at including the community in the cub’s journey. Zayana’s pregnancy was announced early on; and the birth was announced within 48 hours of her arrival into the world!

While the newspapers created sensations out of previous animal stars such as Chimo the Polar bear cub; social media will allow this cub to reach a global audience and people all around the world to follow her progress. Her US born parents are well known to those who follow the Sumatran tiger breeding programme in North America; and Auckland Zoo and its residents have a European following via The Zoo tv series.

If the cub is indeed coming outside with her mother now, I expect to see quite a lot of attention being paid to her on socials. And now the interesting part will be the naming - will the zoo have a competition, or assign her a name?

 

[Zoofan15]

If the cub is indeed coming outside with her mother now, I expect to see quite a lot of attention being paid to her on socials. And now the interesting part will be the naming - will the zoo have a competition, or assign her a name?

A name will certainly connect and endear her to the public. I think given her significance to the community, we will be involved in naming her in someway. If we’re lucky, it could take the form of a free-form naming competition; but at the very least I’d expect a public vote on three or more names.

I expect they’ll be waiting a name that’s enabling and has commercial appeal i.e. not something that’s fifteen letters long or unpronounceable. Something feminine and two or three-syllabled seems likely. Something along the lines of ‘Jaya’ (but hopefully not Jaya because it’s overused). Personally, I think ‘Kerinci’ after the Indonesian volcano and national park would be perfect.

 

[Abbey]

A name will certainly connect and endear her to the public. I think given her significance to the community, we will be involved in naming her in someway. If we’re lucky, it could take the form of a free-form naming competition; but at the very least I’d expect a public vote on three or more names.

I expect they’ll be waiting a name that’s enabling and has commercial appeal i.e. not something that’s fifteen letters long or unpronounceable. Something feminine and two or three-syllabled seems likely. Something along the lines of ‘Jaya’ (but hopefully not Jaya because it’s overused). Personally, I think ‘Kerinci’ after the Indonesian volcano and national park would be perfect.

She'd better get a name sooner rather than later, because you've suggested Kerinci (which is a lovely name, btw) with enough regularity that that's what I call her in my head

 

[Zoofan15]

She'd better get a name sooner rather than later, because you've suggested Kerinci (which is a lovely name, btw) with enough regularity that that's what I call her in my head

Thank you. I also think it goes really nicely with her parents names as it’s a similar length:

1.0 Ramah (08/07/2017) Imported 2022
0.1 Zayana (15/10/2018) Imported 2022
0.1 Kerinci (02/01/2024) Ramah x Zayana

Mount Kerinci (the highest volcano in Indonesia) last erupted in 2018 (the year Zayana was born) and Kerinci is situated in the Jambi province, which is a reference to another prominent member of this family line (her several times great uncle). Kerinci was the name of one of the last wild born tigers to be exported from Indonesia, when she was sent to the National Zoo in the 1980’s and is an ancestor of this cub.

Auckland Zoo also supports conservation work in Kerinci Seblat National Park according to this:

Strengthening the protection of Sumatran tiger in Seblat National Park

The Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund supports a Lingkar Insiative Indonesia project via WildCats, which aims to strengthen conservation of Sumatran tigers in the south-west of Kerinci Seblat National Park through collaboration with government agencies and religious leaders, while building lasting support among the community for Sumatran tiger conservation using Islamic perspectives and values.

 

[ApeLadyNZ]

A name will certainly connect and endear her to the public. I think given her significance to the community, we will be involved in naming her in someway. If we’re lucky, it could take the form of a free-form naming competition; but at the very least I’d expect a public vote on three or more names.

I expect they’ll be waiting a name that’s enabling and has commercial appeal i.e. not something that’s fifteen letters long or unpronounceable. Something feminine and two or three-syllabled seems likely. Something along the lines of ‘Jaya’ (but hopefully not Jaya because it’s overused). Personally, I think ‘Kerinci’ after the Indonesian volcano and national park would be perfect.

Kerinci would be a good name for her; also I like the idea of maybe calling her something like Harta (treasure) or Permata (jewel) or Kemala (beautiful stone or gem) to indicate her great value. Sumatran place names also would work - Jambi has been used before, but I don't think Medan or Riau have been used for a tiger that I know of.

And yes, hopefully not Jaya - which also seems to be a popular name for male orangutans, for some reason!

 

[Zoofan15]

Kerinci would be a good name for her; also I like the idea of maybe calling her something like Harta (treasure) or Permata (jewel) or Kemala (beautiful stone or gem) to indicate her great value. Sumatran place names also would work - Jambi has been used before, but I don't think Medan or Riau have been used for a tiger that I know of.

And yes, hopefully not Jaya - which also seems to be a popular name for male orangutans, for some reason!

Within the Australasian region, there’s already two Sumatran tigers called Jaya, so a third would be really unimaginative:

0.1 Jaya (09/06/2008) Raja x Soraya
1.0 Jaya (20/08/2008) Hari x Setia

Jaya is an Indonesian name meaning “Victorious” and is incredibly overused across the wealth of South East Asian species held in captivity. Berani is the same league, but at least Auckland Zoo previously had a Berani in their 2008 litter of tiger cubs.

Unfortunately, the general public are predictable in their voting and always vote for the same kind of names; so even if a more imaginative alternative is offered, there’s no guarantees it’ll win.

 

[ApeLadyNZ]

Within the Australasian region, there’s already two Sumatran tigers called Jaya, so a third would be really unimaginative:

0.1 Jaya (09/06/2008) Raja x Soraya
1.0 Jaya (20/08/2008) Hari x Setia

Jaya is an Indonesian name meaning “Victorious” and is incredibly overused across the wealth of South East Asian species held in captivity. Berani is the same league, but at least Auckland Zoo previously had a Berani in their 2008 litter of tiger cubs.

Unfortunately, the general public are predictable in their voting and always vote for the same kind of names; so even if a more imaginative alternative is offered, there’s no guarantees it’ll win.

Hopefully, Jaya is then off the table, as is Berani (also, incidentally, a popular name for male orangutans! Pairi Daiza's otter-teasing scamp and Denver Zoo's "Mr. Mom" are notable examples).

And I'd agree with you that the public do tend to vote for the same kind of names and will probably veer towards something pretty-sounding for a female cub. Although, sometimes an original name will win out, as in the case of recent female giraffe calf Enzi, which wasn't an obvious choice. We can hope, anyway!

 

[Abbey]

Hopefully, Jaya is then off the table, as is Berani (also, incidentally, a popular name for male orangutans! Pairi Daiza's otter-teasing scamp and Denver Zoo's "Mr. Mom" are notable examples).

And I'd agree with you that the public do tend to vote for the same kind of names and will probably veer towards something pretty-sounding for a female cub. Although, sometimes an original name will win out, as in the case of recent female giraffe calf Enzi, which wasn't an obvious choice. We can hope, anyway!

Enzi surprised me because it's the name of a male chimpanzee at Monarto; however, it was the name chosen by the keepers, so it must have been the one which resonated with them the most in relation to their experience with the female giraffe calf. While this might not have factored into their thinking, it sounds like a US pronunciation of NZ, which I kind of like

 

[ApeLadyNZ]

Enzi surprised me because it's the name of a male chimpanzee at Monarto; however, it was the name chosen by the keepers, so it must have been the one which resonated with them the most in relation to their experience with the female giraffe calf. While this might not have factored into their thinking, it sounds like a US pronunciation of NZ, which I kind of like

The choice of Enzi was a surprise for me for the same reason - I've never visited Monarto, but feel close to their chimp troop as there are relatives of our NZ chimpanzees living there, and also, I have come to know them through @marmolady 's beautiful photos! But it does seem to be a fitting name for our young giraffe, and as you said, it has the advantage of being easy to pronounce!

 

[Babirusa]

This is amazing news! How are Zayana and her daughter doing, and how was Zayana behaving around the cub? I hope we will hear news of a name for the cub soon!

Getting back on topic of the thread she was very attentive to the cub. Hopefully all continues to go well!

 

[Zoofan15]

Auckland Zoo - Tiger Cub Update

The cub has been named Cahya:

0.1 Cahya (02/01/2024) Ramah x Zayana

Sumatran tiger cub Cahya is thriving | Auckland Zoo News

From socials:

Tiger cub update! Zayana’s eight-week-old female cub now weighs in at over 5kg and is growing more active and playful by the day!

Our carnivore team have chosen the name Cahya (pronounced Cha-hi-ya) - which is the colloquial, shortened form of the Indonesian language word ‘cahaya’, and means ‘light.’

“It’s a beautiful name, and one that is very fitting for several reasons. Following the sad loss of the male cub last month, thanks to Zayana’s great mothering Cahya is doing great, and she really has been that positive light for us all,” says lead senior carnivore keeper, Nick.

As a very young cub, Cahya is continuing to suckle from Zayana approximately every four hours but has now also begun to nibble on small pieces of meat offered to her by mum.

“It’s great to see Cahya getting increasingly mobile and vocalising strongly when she wants Zayana to put her down so that she can explore and get around more independently. In time she’ll naturally gain strength, especially in her legs, which will support her in more vigorous activities like climbing.”

In late March she will reach her three-month milestone, and as Zayana determines she’s ready, Nick and the team say Zoo visitors are likely to see Cahya increasingly out and about in the lowlands habitat.

 

[ApeLadyNZ]

Auckland Zoo - Tiger Cub Update

The cub has been named Cahya:

0.1 Cahya (02/01/2024) Ramah x Zayana

Sumatran tiger cub Cahya is thriving | Auckland Zoo News

From socials:

Tiger cub update! Zayana’s eight-week-old female cub now weighs in at over 5kg and is growing more active and playful by the day!

Our carnivore team have chosen the name Cahya (pronounced Cha-hi-ya) - which is the colloquial, shortened form of the Indonesian language word ‘cahaya’, and means ‘light.’

“It’s a beautiful name, and one that is very fitting for several reasons. Following the sad loss of the male cub last month, thanks to Zayana’s great mothering Cahya is doing great, and she really has been that positive light for us all,” says lead senior carnivore keeper, Nick.

As a very young cub, Cahya is continuing to suckle from Zayana approximately every four hours but has now also begun to nibble on small pieces of meat offered to her by mum.

“It’s great to see Cahya getting increasingly mobile and vocalising strongly when she wants Zayana to put her down so that she can explore and get around more independently. In time she’ll naturally gain strength, especially in her legs, which will support her in more vigorous activities like climbing.”

In late March she will reach her three-month milestone, and as Zayana determines she’s ready, Nick and the team say Zoo visitors are likely to see Cahya increasingly out and about in the lowlands habitat.

I had a feeling they would assign this little one a name rather than have a naming competition, given the circumstances. I do like the name, it's a fitting one that gives a hopeful feeling and does reflect the high value of this cub!

 

[Zoofan15]

I had a feeling they would assign this little one a name rather than have a naming competition, given the circumstances. I do like the name, it's a fitting one that gives a hopeful feeling and does reflect the high value of this cub!

It’s a nice name and has an appropriate meaning. I’m really glad they gave the cub an original name that we haven’t had given to a Sumatran tiger before in the region.

It’s great to hear she’s progressing well and will soon be exploring the complex to its full extent. She will hopefully be the first of many cubs to do so, with this world class complex surely built to meet the needs of the zoo’s breeding programme for decades to come.

 

[Zoofan15]

Hamilton Zoo - Tiger Cub Update

From socials:

Tiger Cubs go for a walk | Look at who's out and about! The cubs are now just over seven weeks old and their natural curiosity is clear, the two girls have been exploring more... | By Hamilton Zoo | Facebook

The cubs are now just over seven weeks old and their natural curiosity is clear, the two girls have been exploring more and more of the enclosure everyday, under the watchful eye of mum, Kirana.

With playful and very determined attitudes, their mobility and balance is slowly but surely improving. Both cubs can now move short distances independently, but never wander too far away from mum.

Kirana and her cubs can choose to stay inside or venture outside as they please, with access to both the enclosure and off-display areas. Although it's not guaranteed, you might be lucky enough to spot this little family outside during your next visit.

0.1 Unnamed (03/01/2024) Scout x Kirana
0.1 Unnamed (03/01/2024) Scout x Kirana