Pair of rare Amur tiger cubs debuting at Minnesota Zoo are raising hopes for the endangered species

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

APPLE VALLEY, Minn. (AP) — A pair of rare Amur tiger cubs are making their public debut at the Minnesota Zoo, raising hopes for preserving an endangered species that’s native to far eastern Russia and northern China.

Andrei and Amaliya got to venture outside and feel the grass of their new home under their paws Wednesday for the first time since their 12-year-old mother, Dari, gave birth on May 23.

“They’ve done quite well since then,” zoologist Trista Fischer said. “We’ve monitored them very closely. Dari’s been fantastic. She’s provided outstanding maternal care. And so today we’ve reached the point where they’re fully vaccinated and they’re now about 40 to 45 pounds (18-20 kilograms).”

Scientists estimate the Amur tiger population is just around 400 to 500 in the wild. They were near the brink of extinction in the 1930s and 1940s but have recovered somewhat since then. It’s tricky to breed them, and around one in four Amur cubs don’t make it to adulthood, whether it’s in the wild or in captivity, she said. Poachers are another major threat.

https://apnews.com/article/amur-tiger-cubs-minnesota-zoo-746a1b71e731dec1fa7c8256b45cc06a

[NickB79]

1. The Minnesota Zoo has a long history of recovering rare Asian species

Our climate is very similar to Siberia, so their species do well here without a lot of winter protection.

The Asian Wild Horse was near extinction before the Minnesota Zoo started a breeding program.

https://mnzoo.org/conservation/around-world/true-wild-horse/

[eppur_se_muova]

2. "It's like Siberia !" would look great on license plates. :) nt