Meet Mina! Jacksonville Zoo's endangered tiger cub healing from broken leg gets name
A 12-week-old critically endangered Malayan tiger cub who broke her leg at 4 weeks old, underwent surgery and is now active and playing with her siblings at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has received a name that matches her stamina.
The cub's name is Mina, which means "one who is unrelenting and determined," according to the zoo. In the zoo's Name That Tiger contest, the cub's care specialists picked five names of South Asian origin as a homage to the critically endangered species.
About 300 people voted online and donated $6,000 along the way.
"This marks a moment of connection and celebration between Mina and the city of Jacksonville," said Nikki Jackson Smith, the zoo's chief philanthropy and community engagement officer. "Mina and her siblings Machli and Beppy are a testament to the shared commitment of our community toward wildlife conservation. The naming contest reaffirms our dedication to safeguarding the wonders of the animal kingdom for generations to come."
The triplets were born Nov. 5 to mother Cinta and father Bashir. The cubs have since been bonding behind the scenes with Cinta. They are not yet on exhibit, but the public can watch the family on the zoo’s live stream at jacksonvillezoo.org/live-animal-cams.
On Dec. 5 animal care staff noticed that one of the cubs had a leg injury, now named Mina. Radiographs confirmed her leg was broken.
"Just like with humans, this can be a delicate situation between mom and cub," according to the zoo. "In consultation with a veterinary surgeon, the leg was initially splinted for support based on good bone alignment and the rapid healing ability of young animals. The cub quickly adapted … Mom and siblings did an amazing job of accepting the cub with a splinted leg."
On Dec. 13, after X-rays showed the leg "was not healing as well as desired," the cub was placed under anesthesia and underwent surgery, according to the zoo. The veterinary surgeon placed two plates in the leg and, the cub recovered enough to be reunited with the family.
The estimated cost for the surgery was about $10,000, including X-rays and medications, according to the zoo, which sought public donations to defray costs. The zoo also noted care and food for tiger parents Cinta and Bashir costs about $20,000 a year.
As of Jan. 23, the cub was "very active, playful and eating well," the zoo said. "She continues to be a rambunctious cub right alongside her siblings."
Young tigers rely on their mother until they master hunting at about 2 years old and leave her care, officials said. The cubs are Cinta's second litter but her first in Jacksonville, where she arrived in 2017 from the Cincinnati Zoo.
Malayan tigers are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List and are "a national symbol and a priority conservation target," according to World Wildlife Fund-Malaysia. Malaysia had an estimated 3,000 tigers in the 1950s, but the population dropped to less than 150 in 2022 because of rapid development, agriculture expansion, widespread hunting and the resulting loss of habitat.
bcravey@jacksonville.com
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Mina means unrelenting: Jacksonville Zoo's spunky tiger cub gets name
