Rare tiger roars into action

Kabus, the first Sumatran tiger to reside in Belfast, met his public for the first time today. The young male tiger, from Chessington Zoo, is 19 months old and since the initiation of the global tiger studbook in 1967, is the first tiger to live in Belfast as part of a European breeding programme.

Zoo manager, Mark Challis is delighted that the zoo is part of the Sumatran tiger breeding programme. “The zoo has been planning for the arrival of new tigers since the sad death of popular duo Jack and Jill in April 2009 and in 2007. The global studbook was one of the first such programmes established as zoos properly started to embrace their vital role as conservation centres. This is the first time the zoo has kept rare Sumatran tigers as part of a breeding programme. We are looking forward to watching Kabus grow and mature.”

Curator, Julie Mansell said “It is a privilege to be caring for Kabus. The Sumatran tiger is a wonderfully complex animal and for us to help sustain its survival is a great step to supporting the breeding programme. Kabus is getting used to his new surroundings and is already proving to be an energetic and feisty young tiger! Next year we will introduce a female Sumatran tiger from Fuengirola Zoo, Spain. The young pair will reach breeding age at around 3 years old and we will work with the breeding programme co-ordinator to identify the potential for future births.”

There are less than 500 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, and only 250 in zoos worldwide. Sumatran tigers are classified as critically endangered on the 2009 IUCN red list for endangered species and listed in appendix I of CITES, the convention protecting the international trade of endangered animals. Although it is illegal to kill a Sumatran tiger, they still face the threat of habitat loss, hunting and poaching, and many are killed to make medicinal products and for their bones

The Sumatran tiger is the smallest of the remaining six sub-species of tigers. The male tigers average 2.4 metres in length from head to tail and weigh about 120 kilograms. Its stripes are narrower than other subspecies of tigers’ stripes, and it has a more bearded and maned appearance, especially the males.

Currently you can see Kabus in the zoo. For more information on the animals of the zoo visit www.belfastzoo.co.uk/animals

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