July 21, 2021 3:20 a.m.

Staff with Wildlife Safari are welcoming two critically endangered Sumatran tiger cubs.

Sarah Huse, the park’s carnivore supervisor, said last Sunday their 9-year old Sumatran tiger Riya became a first-time mother to 2 healthy cubs. Huse said “Mom cleaned the cubs off immediately and they have both been nursing away. This is not only a huge accomplishment for Wildlife Safari but also for the entire zoo community and the international tiger population”. Huse said Wildlife Safari has not had tiger cubs born at its facility since the 1980’s and never before as part of the Tiger Species Survival breeding program.

A release said the pair represent only the second litter of cubs born into the Sumatran Tiger Survival Program since 2018.

Huse said “The Tiger SSP breeding program is desperate to successfully breed new genetics and get cubs on the ground”. She said there has been a severe lack of cubs born the last couple of years with shut downs and restrictions at other zoological facilities. She said the Sumatran tigers are critically endangered with an estimated less than 400 left in the world.

The release said the cubs were named by major park contributors. Development Coordinator Tracy Moser said Toby and Christina Luther supported the Lion Lookout project last year. For their sizeable contribution, they received naming rights for two future carnivore cubs. Luther’s shared the opportunity with their children, letting them name the cubs Phoebe and Luhahn.

The tiger cubs will spend time with their mom off-display for a period of time before being visible to the public. Upcoming Facebook Live events will celebrate the birth of the litter.