Zoo Atlanta Zoo Atlanta 2008-2011

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The tiger is pregnant!
Critically endangered tiger is expecting!
Litter of cubs should arrive in early July

ATLANTA – June 1, 2011 ― Chelsea, a 7-year-old female Sumatran tiger, is expecting her first litter. Her cubs will be the first offspring for her and mate, 10-year-old Kavi, as well as the first tigers born at Zoo Atlanta in more than a decade. The Animal Management and Veterinary Teams confirmed the pregnancy via ultrasound on May 20.

“We’re delighted about Chelsea’s pregnancy. We were hopeful that she was expecting, but it’s very exciting to have our suspicions confirmed in an ultrasound,” said Dwight Lawson, PhD, Deputy Director. “Tigers are extremely popular at the Zoo, but they’re also one of the most critically endangered species in our collection.”

As is typical for their wild counterparts, Chelsea and Kavi interact only at specific times. The species is solitary, with males and females associating briefly during short breeding intervals. Zoo Atlanta’s pair met in 2007, but not until early 2009 did Chelsea begin demonstrating interest in Kavi. The Animal Management and Veterinary Teams have been monitoring Chelsea since the pair’s most recent breeding introduction in late March. Veterinarians plan to continue to track the pregnancy through regular ultrasounds, an activity Chelsea is trained to participate in voluntarily. Tiger gestation averages 103 days, suggesting a delivery in early July.

“The ultrasounds were performed in a specially-designed portal in Chelsea’s training area, thanks to the groundbreaking efforts of Zoo Atlanta’s keepers and veterinary team,” said Hayley Murphy, DVM, Director of Veterinary Services. “This remarkable achievement highlights our commitment to cutting-edge animal care and training and will enable us to monitor Chelsea’s pregnancy without the risk and stress of general anesthesia.”

Sumatran tigers are among the rarest species housed at Zoo Atlanta, with fewer than 400 believed to remain in the wild. Poaching, habitat loss and territory fragmentation caused by deforestation are the primary threats to these charismatic predators, which are found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Zoo Atlanta is a participant in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP), which seeks to maintain a self-sustaining, genetically diverse population within North American zoos. Conservation projects supported by Zoo Atlanta include work to preserve tiger habitat located in a critical wildlife corridor in Sumatra’s Aceh Forest.
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A link from April discussing a $5 million gift (as part of the zoo's $25 million capital campaign):

Zoo Atlanta snaps up its largest gift ever | SaportaReport

Does anyone have information on the new reptile complex that is due to open in either 2013 or 2014? The current one is in disrepair and was built in 1962.

Copied and pasted from the article:

The new reptile complex will be on the northeast corner of the zoo’s property adjacent to the zoo’s new front door off Boulevard. It will cover about 1.5 acres and include boardwalks, animal habitats and visitor viewing areas along with 18,000 square feet of air-conditioned interior habitat exhibits, viewing areas, a theater and visitor comfort facilities. The interior space will double the size of the existing 9,000-square-foot reptile house.
 
I'm unsure on where Kavi was born, but Chelsea was born to Brytne and Rengat (Rengat passed away last year) at the Toronto Zoo in July 2003. She then moved to the Dallas Zoo sometime in 2005 along with her siblings "Kougra" and "Skylar" (Kougra has since passed away at Dallas Zoo, and Skylar was renamed "Leanne". She moved to the San Francisco Zoo in 2007 and gave birth to triplet cubs in March of 2008) and then to Zoo Atlanta in 2007 to be bred with Kavi, as they did this past summer.
 
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