Amur tiger triplets Darya, Ussuri and Sungari at the Saint Louis Zoo are now 2-½-months old and just look at how they’ve grown! Here’s what’s been going on in their world and some milestones they’ve reached.
🐾 Discovering new things - The active and inquisitive tigers are interested in all the new things provided by the Animal Care team. After one of the first snows, the care team scooped up some of the cold stuff and brought it inside for the cubs to investigate. They weren’t sure what to think of it at first but soon were brave enough to check it out. Herbs like rosemary are hidden inside a tube as a new scent for them to sniff out.
🩺 First checkups - The cubs got their first set of vaccinations at the beginning of January and received a thorough checkup by the Veterinary team. The cubs each weighed between about 13 and 16 pounds and are doing very well.
🐅 First taste of meat - Ussuri and Darya were the first to start eating a meat “slurry” provided by the Animal Care team. After watching his brother and sister enjoy this new food, Sungari soon followed. This is a key milestone for their growth that’s also fundamental to building a positive relationship with the care team. All three now eagerly eat their “big kids” meat diet daily and are still nursing too.
🤗 Being rambunctious - The cubs are playing and wrestling together, which is important for the cats’ development and teaches skills they’ll need when they grow up. Their personalities are starting to develop. Darya is vocal and a momma’s girl, Ussuri is curious and playful, and Sungari is a big boy who likes his sleep.
🐯 Learning the family greeting - “Chuffing” is a friendly greeting vocalization that the cubs and their mother Reka make to each other to show affection. It’s a breathy, whispery kind of rumble. The cubs are starting to chuff to the Animal Care team, which is the highest of compliments!
Reka and the cubs are indoors at Big Cat Country for the next few months to allow time for the cubs to grow large enough to safely navigate their outdoor habitat. The father Maxim can be seen by Zoo guests in his habitat at Big Cat Country.
stlzoo.org/tigercubs
1 фев 2024
