| Press Release
For Immediate Release |
For More Information:
Cynthia Shipley Acting Manager, Marketing (416) 392-5938 |
TO VISIT THESE RARE
AND ENDANGERED
ZOO BABIES!
March 1, 2005, Toronto, Ontario: The Toronto Zoo announces the upcoming departures of its Sumatran tiger cubs. These births are valuable contributions to the success of the Species Survival Programs (SSP) that have been designed for each species, and they were also firsts in Canadian Zoo history!
The three Sumatran tiger cubs, Skylar, Kougra and Chelsea, one male and two females, will be transported to the Dallas Zoo late spring or early summer 2005. The move is being coordinated with the help of our Curator of Mammals, Maria Franke, and The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). Parents, eleven year old male Rengat and seven year old female Brytne were recommended for breeding as part of the SSP. Plans are implemented by North American zoos with the intention to captive-breed endangered animals using computer "match-making" to ensure new genetic input and compatible breeding partners. "With approximately 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, captive breeding could be their only hope." says Maria Franke. "Currently there are only 52 animals in the North American captive population so the birth of our cubs is a valuable addition to the SSP. We are very excited that the cubs will now go on to have their own families and continue to contribute to the preservation of their species."