Two Sumatran tiger (Panthera Tigris Sumatrae) cubs were shown for the first time by Chester Zoo, UK. The cubs were born back in January 2023. They were named Alif and Raya as they are twin female cubs. The name “Raya” is taken from the name of the Gunung Raya Wildlife Reserve area, Ogan Regency, South Sumatra. Meanwhile, “Alif” was taken because it is considered one of the most popular names in the country.
Dayna Thain, the carnivore caretaker at Chester Zoo, said that this was the first time they had stepped out of their nest since being born in January. According to her, both sumatran tiger cubs are still a little shy when going out. However, they seem energetic as they can be seen playing with each other while being watched by their mother. Dayna also admitted that he was happy to be able to directly observe every moment of the two mammals’ early growth.
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Now, Alif and Raya can be added to the conservation breeding program to prevent the extinction of the Sumatran tiger species. Currently, according to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Sumatran tiger is critically endangered. There are only 350 Sumatran tigers left in Indonesia due to habitat loss, hunting pressure, and human-wildlife conflict. As a result, the ‘giant cat’ is getting closer to extinction.
The increase in human population has led to the extinction of more than 90 percent of species. Sumatran tigers come into conflict with locals, farmers and livestock. They are also hunted for their skins, bones and canines which are sold around Asian medicine markets.
Source: CNNIndonesia, Medcom.id
