Four rare Amur tiger cubs made their outdoor debut this week at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire. Born in May, the cubs ventured into a paddock alongside their mother, Yana, under the watchful eyes of the park’s keepers.
Yana, a nine-year-old tiger, led the way, ensuring the space was safe before signaling the cubs to join her.
Eloise Kilbane of Longleat described the moment: “Yana was rolling around, marking her territory, and once satisfied, she called the cubs out to explore the area.” All vaccinated and full of energy, the cubs wasted no time romping in the grass.
For Longleat’s animal care team, moments like these are particularly rewarding. Kilbane added, “It’s every keeper’s dream to see animals exploring their environment, healthy and thriving, which highlights the success of our breeding program.”
The Amur tiger, native to Russia’s far east, is one of the most endangered animals in the world, with an estimated 450 remaining in the wild.
The birth of these four cubs marks Yana’s second litter, following her two cubs, Rusty and Yuki, born in 2019.
Darren Beasley, head of animal operations at Longleat, emphasized that the cubs’ outdoor exploration will be a gradual process.
“We want to ensure the cubs feel confident and, most importantly, that Yana is comfortable with where they go,” he explained.
Initially, the cubs will spend short periods in a paddock near their home, familiarizing themselves with the surroundings. Later in the summer, they’ll be introduced to a larger area visible to Safari Park visitors.
Amur tigers are the largest big cats, with some males weighing up to 300kg. The species was nearly wiped out in the 1940s due to hunting and habitat loss, with numbers dropping to just 20-30 tigers at one point.
Fortunately, ongoing conservation efforts have helped their population recover, although they remain critically endangered.
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