Three times the 'awww': Tiger cub triplets born at Indianapolis Zoo
Grrrrreat news from the Indianapolis Zoo! Triplet Amur tiger cubs were born May 27, the zoo announced Thursday.
The cubs, one girl and two boys, are healthy and "enjoying the TLC from the animal care team." The mother, seven-year-old Amur tiger Zoya, is also doing well and healing, the release said.
The three cubs are Zoya's first offspring, a news release said. She was born at the Indianapolis Zoo in 2014. The cubs' father is 14-year-old Pavel.
The girl was the firstborn cub, followed by the two boys. When the first cub was born, Zoya still showed signs of labor and medical staff delivered the other two by C-section. They weighed about 2 pounds each.
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Zoya and the cubs will likely never be in the same space because tigers are solitary by nature, the release said.
The animal care team is taking care of the cubs and bottle-feeding them for the first 12 weeks.
What is an Amur tiger?
Amur tigers are also known as Siberian tigers, and are native to eastern Russia, according to the Indianapolis Zoo.
There are fewer than 100 Amur tigers in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the release said.
Therefore, the birth of the three cubs at the Indianapolis Zoo is significant toward maintaining a sustainable, healthy population of Amur tigers.
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"Human-tiger conflict and poaching" are leading to population decline in the wild, as Amur tigers have lost almost 95% of their territories, the release said.
The cubs will make their public debut in mid-September, around 16 weeks.
You could decide the cub's names, as the zoo is also planning to launch a community naming contest open to the public. Start brainstorming!
Contact IndyStar trending reporter Claire Rafford at crafford@gannett.com or on Twitter @clairerafford.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Zoo: Triplet tiger cubs born at zoo in late May
