As we excitedly reported back in August, Sohni the Sumatran tiger gave birth to two incredibly adorable tiger cubs. They are the first tigers to be born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
We have more news to share today on their progress, their new names and about efforts to save their species in the wild.
Disney has joined forces with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and their partners to conduct a tiger population survey in Indonesia and also taking steps to increase the wild population of Sumatran tigers by 25 percent in the next decade. The goal of these efforts is to reverse the decline of Sumatran tigers.
In the video below, Anne Savage, PhD, conservation director, explains the significance of this project, funded in part by guests unlocking a $100,000 contribution to the Wildlife Conservation Society through Connect to Protect, a digital mobile adventure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney Parks, through the Disney Conservation Fund, has committed $1 million to protect and restore habitats of at-risk wildlife through the Connect to Protect program.
Back in Florida, the two Sumatran tiger cubs at Animal Kingdom are now two months old. The big news is we now know their new names! Say hello to Jeda, the male cub, (below left) and Anala, the female cub.
Their mother Sohni continues to bond with the cubs who are starting to show their own little personalities.
Jeda seems to be very laid back and more like his father, Malosi. He was named for his unique markings. His name means “pause” in Malay which refers to two parallel lines inside a stripe on his head that resemble a pause button.
Anala has an independent spirit and is very quick to explore new things. Her name means “fiery, sizzling” in Hindi.
“The cubs wrestle with each other constantly and love jumping on plants and logs,” said Erin Heavey, an animal care specialist who cares for the tigers. “Jeda in particular loves ripping the bark off the logs and playing with all the pieces that come off. Anala is becoming more adept at sneaking and pouncing and loves hiding behind things (even when she isn’t entirely hidden) and trying to surprise attack Sohni or her brother. This is actually something she gets from Sohni, who loves to “hide and sneak” even though she isn’t always very covert about it.”
Stay tuned to Chip and Co for more updates on when the tiger cubs will be viewable in their habitat on the Maharajah Jungle Trek.
Source Credit: Disney
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