Australasian Sumatran Tiger Population

ApeLadyNZ said:
Auckland Zoo is also my favourite zoo - partly because it's my hometown zoo, but partly because of the amazing features you've described, too. I was a kid in the 70s and got to see the "old zoo" and sometimes when I'm not visiting the animals, often near the end of the day, I'll walk around to certain areas and see what traces of the "old zoo" I can still find; like you, I particularly like going to see where the polar bears once were.

And yes, indeed, much remains the same although a lot has changed. I remember as a little girl seeing Sally the baby chimp, and now my favourite pastime is visiting Bahmi the baby orangutan and his family!

It'll be interesting to see what happens with the tigers - I too think Auckland Zoo will breed from Ramah and Zayana before possibly re-pairing them. You mentioned the possibility of Cahya being transferred out to Orana Wildlife Park to be paired with Reggie, but I also wonder, in view of Reggie's age, if they might consider sending Zayana to Reggie and bringing in another female for Ramah? Just a thought.
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It was indeed my assumption that Cahya is destined for Orana Wildlife Park and her male twin (prior to his death) would have been destined for Taronga to pair with Tengah. To be clear, this is my assumptions based on the information available (not confirmed fact).

At this stage, I’m not too concerned about Reggie’s age. He’s only eight years old and is by no means an old tiger. Even by the time Cahya is mature (circa 2027), he’ll be 11 years old, which is fine for a male tiger breeding wise.

I wouldn’t however advise waiting around for a subsequent male cub to be produced to pair with Tengah. She’d be a minimum of 10 years old by the time Ramah and Zayana have a son reach reproductive age and as Raja and Soraya’s daughters have proved, breeding with older females for the first time can be challenging.

Some of the older fathers in the region:

Nico: 1.1 cubs in 1988 aged 12 years
Frank: 1.1 cubs in 1990 aged 10 years
Shiva: 3.0 cubs in 1995 aged 10 years
Jambi: 1.2 cubs in 2000 aged 13 years
Ramalon: 2.1 cubs in 2006 aged 11 years
Ramalon: 2.2 cubs in 2010 aged 15 years
Lari: 2.1 cubs in 2010 aged 15 years
Ramalon: 2.0 cubs in 2013 aged 18 years
Oz: 1.1 cubs in 2014 aged 10 years
 
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Zoofan15 said:
It was indeed my assumption that Cahya is destined for Orana Wildlife Park and her male twin (prior to his death) would have been destined for Taronga to pair with Tengah. To be clear, this is my assumptions based on the information available (not confirmed fact).

At this stage, I’m not too concerned about Reggie’s age. He’s only eight years old and is by no means an old tiger. Even by the time Cahya is mature (circa 2027), he’ll be 11 years old, which is fine for a male tiger breeding wise.

I wouldn’t however advise waiting around for a subsequent male cub to be produced to pair with Tengah. She’d be a minimum of 10 years old by the time Ramah and Zayana have a son reach reproductive age and as Raja and Soraya’s daughters have proved, breeding with older females for the first time can be challenging.

Some of the older fathers in the region:

Nico: 1.1 cubs in 1988 aged 12 years
Frank: 1.1 cubs in 1990 aged 10 years
Shiva: 3.0 cubs in 1995 aged 10 years
Jambi: 1.2 cubs in 2000 aged 13 years
Ramalon: 2.1 cubs in 2006 aged 11 years
Ramalon: 2.2 cubs in 2010 aged 15 years
Lari: 2.1 cubs in 2010 aged 15 years
Ramalon: 2.0 cubs in 2013 aged 18 years
Oz: 1.1 cubs in 2014 aged 10 years
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Thanks for that info! And yes, what you've said here makes sense as there would not be the same level of concern over a father's age as opposed to a mother's. And it would be nice to see a NZ-bred tiger, particularly one of Cahya's popularity, be able to stay in NZ.

Re-pairing animals makes good genetic sense for zoos, but as a tangent, apparently Auckland Zoo, according to a staff member, would refuse a recommendation to pair Charlie or Melur with orangutans in other zoos because of the strong bond between them!
 
ApeLadyNZ said:
Thanks for that info! And yes, what you've said here makes sense as there would not be the same level of concern over a father's age as opposed to a mother's. And it would be nice to see a NZ-bred tiger, particularly one of Cahya's popularity, be able to stay in NZ.

Re-pairing animals makes good genetic sense for zoos, but as a tangent, apparently Auckland Zoo, according to a staff member, would refuse a recommendation to pair Charlie or Melur with orangutans in other zoos because of the strong bond between them!
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Despite their solitary nature, there have been a handful of strongly bonded tigers within the region. Berani was the shyest of Molek’s triplets (ironic considering his name was Indonesian for brave). They lived together until Molek’s death in 2018; with Berani euthansied the following year. His siblings (Jalur and Cinta) had an equally close relationship with each other.

Though Ramah and Zayana are a successful breeding pair, I’ve heard nothing to suggest their separation post-mating has bothered them and as such, I don’t anticipate re-pairing them would be an issue.

Tengah would be the obvious choice of a future mate for Ramah imo; but for Zayana, I would have to say one of Kaitlyn’s sons - perhaps Scout. I struggle to see Scout and Kirana’s daughters entering the breeding programme and combined with Kirana’s age, this will likely be their only litter. Exporting their twins to Australia (as a non-breeding sibling pair) appears the likeliest outcome; with Scout then transferring to Auckland to breed with Zayana. Again, this is just my assessment of what could work well. Hamilton’s plans will be subject to whether they build this third tiger exhibit.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Despite their solitary nature, there have been a handful of strongly bonded tigers within the region. Berani was the shyest of Molek’s triplets (ironic considering his name was Indonesian for brave). They lived together until Molek’s death in 2018; with Berani euthansied the following year. His siblings (Jalur and Cinta) had an equally close relationship with each other.

Though Ramah and Zayana are a successful breeding pair, I’ve heard nothing to suggest their separation post-mating has bothered them and as such, I don’t anticipate re-pairing them would be an issue.

Tengah would be the obvious choice of a future mate for Ramah imo; but for Zayana, I would have to say one of Kaitlyn’s sons - perhaps Scout. I struggle to see Scout and Kirana’s daughters entering the breeding programme and combined with Kirana’s age, this will likely be their only litter. Exporting their twins to Australia (as a non-breeding sibling pair) appears the likeliest outcome; with Scout then transferring to Auckland to breed with Zayana. Again, this is just my assessment of what could work well. Hamilton’s plans will be subject to whether they build this third tiger exhibit.
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Very good points. If Hamilton is going to build a third tiger exhibit, I foresee them continuing in the breeding programme in some capacity. Perhaps they might import a new pair from outside the region?
 
ApeLadyNZ said:
Very good points. If Hamilton is going to build a third tiger exhibit, I foresee them continuing in the breeding programme in some capacity. Perhaps they might import a new pair from outside the region?
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That could be a strong likelihood if Scout transfers to Auckland for breeding circa 2030; Andalas and M to Australia as a non-breeding sibling pair and Kirana is retained. Sali is 16 years old, so may not be with us by that time. With three tiger exhibits and Wellington’s pair passing on in the next decade, there will be increased capacity across New Zealand’s zoos.

Regarding Wellington, I anticipate they’ll receive a sibling pair upon the passing of their tigers. They’re poorly equipped to breed tigers compared to Auckland and Orana, who have three exhibits each.
 
Auckland Zoo - Cahya Update

From socials:

Tiger cub update! Cahya is now nearly four-months old and recently weighted in at a healthy 12.8kgs.

Since her vaccination at 12-weeks of age, she and her mother Zayana have been venturing into a second habitat area (opposite the waterfall) that also offers a better chance of seeing her. Our Lowlands habitat was designed for exactly this purpose in mind – allowing our carnivore team flexibility in caring for these big cats - with three distinct areas connected by overhead tiger bridges.

Cahya is extremely active and is honing her developing skills with her patient mum Zayana – which includes lots of tussle and play. Carnivore keeper Kristin says, “Cahya can often be seen bouncing and pouncing. Playing with bark and ripping palm fronds down to attack – she’s quite the handful!”
 
Auckland Zoo - Cahya Update

Auckland Zoo are certainly doing a great job at keeping us update to date with Cahya’s development. It’s really good to see from a zoo.

From socials:

Cahya is now nearly five months old and has reached an incredibly healthy 17.6kgs. Our carnivore team, who keep a close eye on the health and wellbeing of all of the cats in their care, say she’s growing by roughly a kilogram a week!

In April, Cahya with her mum Zayana had started to explore the second of our three separate tiger habitats (these are connected by two overpasses that go up and over the heads of our visitors!).

As of last week, mum and cub are now venturing into the third habitat - this is the area with the large monstera, waterfall and lake – and will rotate between these habitats on various days.

This plucky tiger cub has also started to test out larger food items like turkey – this is an opportunity to increase her ability to pull and drag carcasses, like Sumatran tigers would do in the wild, as well as engage in play.
 
Auckland Zoo - Cahya Update

Cahya is now six months old!

From socials:

We’re pleased to share that Cahya is progressing in leaps and bounds – which is something she loves doing all around the Lowlands habitat.

At her recent weigh-in she was sitting at a healthy 23.6kgs – a more than 5kg increase since our last update a month ago!

Cahya is super playful and she has recently developed an enthusiasm for water - often splashing in shallow pools and puddles. She also likes to nap, so if you can’t see he in the morning, try visiting again later in the day.
 
Little off topic ; upon watching this clip ; it had been reported that Gaza zoo’s tiger was imported from Australia .

Anyone know about this ?
 
Younesmark said:
Little off topic ; upon watching this clip ; it had been reported that Gaza zoo’s tiger was imported from Australia .

Anyone know about this ?
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I can confirm no purebred Sumatran tigers have been sent there from an Australian zoo (and the tiger in the video doesn’t look like a purebred Sumatran tiger).
 
Sumatran tiger weights:

Earlier this week, Auckland Zoo announced the weights of their tigers - Ramah (128kg); Zayana (94kg); and Cahya (28kg).

It therefore appears Ramah is a mid-sized male tiger. Kembali (2014) at Adelaide is noted to be one of the largest males in the region. His own father, Oz (2004), was a large male weighing 135kg in 2008. Oz was reportedly even heavier upon his import into New Zealand.

From the Jambi branch of the Nico/Meta line, I recall hearing that Jambi (1988) was around 120kg; while his offspring were quite small - Rokan (1996) and Jaka (2000) were around 110kg; and Nisha (1996) was around 83kg according to an episode of The Zoo. This suggests this may have come from Cantic’s line.

@Elena has noted there’s been large males on Zayana’s side (145kg for example), so it’ll be interesting to see if Ramah and Zayana have a son, how large he will be.

 
Zoofan15 said:
Sumatran tiger weights:

Earlier this week, Auckland Zoo announced the weights of their tigers - Ramah (128kg); Zayana (94kg); and Cahya (28kg).

It therefore appears Ramah is a mid-sized male tiger. Kembali (2014) at Adelaide is noted to be one of the largest males in the region. His own father, Oz (2004), was a large male weighing 135kg in 2008. Oz was reportedly even heavier upon his import into New Zealand.

From the Jambi branch of the Nico/Meta line, I recall hearing that Jambi (1988) was around 120kg; while his offspring were quite small - Rokan (1996) and Jaka (2000) were around 110kg; and Nisha (1996) was around 83kg according to an episode of The Zoo. This suggests this may have come from Cantic’s line.

@Elena has noted there’s been large males on Zayana’s side (145kg for example), so it’ll be interesting to see if Ramah and Zayana have a son, how large he will be.
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Ramah did in fact look on the small side for a male when I saw him. He's very long in length so perhaps this counter balances his rather small frame. Still an impressive looking male anyhow.
Ramah the Sumatran Tiger

Ramah the Sumatran Tiger

  • Media owner Jambo
  • Date added
Taken from my visit 14/07/2024
On the other hand, Zayana looked quite larger for a female but upon reflection she does seem to be just around average right now. Still, she is fairly young and still could have growing to do.
Zayana - Sumatran Tiger

Zayana - Sumatran Tiger

  • Media owner Jambo
  • Date added
Taken from my visit 14/07/2024
 
Zoofan15 said:
Sumatran tiger weights:

Earlier this week, Auckland Zoo announced the weights of their tigers - Ramah (128kg); Zayana (94kg); and Cahya (28kg).

It therefore appears Ramah is a mid-sized male tiger. Kembali (2014) at Adelaide is noted to be one of the largest males in the region. His own father, Oz (2004), was a large male weighing 135kg in 2008. Oz was reportedly even heavier upon his import into New Zealand.

From the Jambi branch of the Nico/Meta line, I recall hearing that Jambi (1988) was around 120kg; while his offspring were quite small - Rokan (1996) and Jaka (2000) were around 110kg; and Nisha (1996) was around 83kg according to an episode of The Zoo. This suggests this may have come from Cantic’s line.

@Elena has noted there’s been large males on Zayana’s side (145kg for example), so it’ll be interesting to see if Ramah and Zayana have a son, how large he will be.
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Zayana's mother, Jingga, was noted to weigh 190 pounds per the May 10, 2022 press release from Louisville Zoo (A New Cat in Town Meet Jingga: The Louisville Zoo’s Newest Sumatran Tiger (Media Release)). Her father, Sanjiv, who passed away in early June 2024, was noted to weigh 286 pounds when Point Defiance Zoo introduced him in January 2023 (Meet the new Sumatran tiger, Sanjiv! - Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium). Zayana's maternal uncle, CJ (her mother's younger brother) at the Los Angeles Zoo, weighs around 325 pounds, which is about the same as Zayana's maternal grandfather Castro and another maternal uncle Taymor (a.k.a. "Larry") when they were alive and healthy. I've included a photo of CJ to try to show his size.
 

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Jambo said:
Ramah did in fact look on the small side for a male when I saw him. He's very long in length so perhaps this counter balances his rather small frame. Still an impressive looking male anyhow.
Ramah the Sumatran Tiger

Ramah the Sumatran Tiger

  • Media owner Jambo
  • Date added
Taken from my visit 14/07/2024
On the other hand, Zayana looked quite larger for a female but upon reflection she does seem to be just around average right now. Still, she is fairly young and still could have growing to do.
Zayana - Sumatran Tiger

Zayana - Sumatran Tiger

  • Media owner Jambo
  • Date added
Taken from my visit 14/07/2024
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Elena said:
Zayana's mother, Jingga, was noted to weigh 190 pounds per the May 10, 2022 press release from Louisville Zoo (A New Cat in Town Meet Jingga: The Louisville Zoo’s Newest Sumatran Tiger (Media Release)). Her father, Sanjiv, who passed away in early June 2024, was noted to weigh 286 pounds when Point Defiance Zoo introduced him in January 2023 (Meet the new Sumatran tiger, Sanjiv! - Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium). Zayana's maternal uncle, CJ (her mother's younger brother) at the Los Angeles Zoo, weighs around 325 pounds, which is about the same as Zayana's maternal grandfather Castro and another maternal uncle Taymor (a.k.a. "Larry") when they were alive and healthy. I've included a photo of CJ to try to show his size.
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I would say Ramah’s small ruff makes him look smaller. Males typically have large and impressive ruffs, that begin to come through at adolescence. Ramah’s is not particularly pronounced compared to other males in the region like the late Jambi; and the Kembali’s at Taronga and Adelaide.

Zayana certainly has some large descendants. CJ is a very impressive looking male.

Ramah and Zayana are seven and six years respectively, so are fully grown and in their prime. I wouldn’t expect either of them to get any bigger, though as with any felid, we may see fluctuations in their weights.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Ramah and Zayana are seven and six years respectively, so are fully grown and in their prime. I wouldn’t expect either of them to get any bigger, though as with any felid, we may see fluctuations in their weights.
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Binjai at Melbourne put on almost 10 kgs within a period of four years (from 2010 to 2014) following the birth of her last litter, going from 87 kgs to 95 kgs. So I guess it's possible, although it can probably just be attributed to her simply eating more.
 
Jambo said:
Binjai at Melbourne put on almost 10 kgs within a period of four years (from 2010 to 2014) following the birth of her last litter, going from 87 kgs to 95 kgs. So I guess it's possible, although it can probably just be attributed to her simply eating more.
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Like you say, that could possibly be attributed to her increased consumption of food. The strain of raising a litter (of four no less!) have also taken it’s toll on her physically, so it may have even been a case that mid-90’s were her baseline weight and that she dropped slightly the year she was raising her quadruplets.

Her record of being the only tigress to successfully raise quads in the region remains unbroken and likely will for some time! To my knowledge, we’ve only had three other quad births within Australasia - two to Meta in the 1980’s and one to Setia in 2008.
 
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