Zoo Knoxville is launching a rare breeding program to help save the endangered Malayan tiger species from extinction.
In weeks, the zoo will welcome its third endangered Malayan tiger, 2-year-old Arya, from California. After she acclimates to the facility, curators will introduce her one of their two male Malayan tigers, Bashir and Tanvir, to breed a family.
“There are less than 400 Malayan tigers left in the world,” said Zoo Knoxville President Lisa New. “Every single tiger is important when you have a species whose numbers are that small.”
Zookeepers said the tigers are hunted in Malaysia for their body parts, and their habitats are harvested for palm oil. Without a safe option for release into the wild, breeding facilities become crucial.
As many as 50 Malayan tigers currently live in U.S. zoos.
“For us to come online with the potential to hold not only one tiger, but five or six, is key," New said.
The introduction to the family comes as the zoo prepares to open a $10 million breeding ground and training facility for the tigers called Tiger Forest. It will be one of only 20 breeding grounds across the country for the endangered species, according to Zoo Knoxville officials.
The facility is slated to open in April. It will feature deep and shallow pools for the cats to bask in, 12-foot high posts for them to climb and retrieve food, and a secure den for the mother to birth her cubs in privacy.
When Arya arrives, zookeepers will hold her in isolation for 30 to 60 days for exams before assimilating into the population.
“She’s a little young to actually breed right away, so we’ll spend the first several months of her arriving to make sure she’s comfortable with the habitat,” New said.
Tiger breeding is a complicated process: tigers are solitary creatures, and curators cannot simply place females with males. Zookeepers will have to wait until Arya is receptive before introducing them to one another.
"Over the next few months, we'll start to watch her estrous cycle, see when she's coming into heat, and then work on the science of making tiger babies!"