Anna Caplan
Sumatran tigers are having a baby boom in the United States.
Videos by Rare
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Four baby cubs have been born in the last two weeks, with the National Zoo in Washington D.C. announcing that its eight-year-old tiger Damai has given birth, and the Oklahoma City Zoo reporting that its six-year-old tiger Lola has given birth to triplets.
Keepers at the National Zoo watched the miraculous moment on a closed-circuit camera set up in Damai’s den, and they continue to watch how the mom and her new baby bond. According to the zoo, the cub and mom appear to be healthy and cuddly together. The baby is nursing regularly and moving normally for its age. To allow Damai and her newborn to bond, caretakers are keeping their distance, which means they have not had the opportunity to check the cub’s sex.
“This is such an exciting time for us, not only because we have a cub who appears to be doing great, but also because this animal’s genes are extremely valuable to the North American population,” said Craig Saffoe, curator of the Great Cats habitat.
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Lola gave birth to tiger triplets on July 8, the same day she was born at the zoo in 2011. Like Damai and her baby, Lola and her brood are enjoying private time together to bond before keepers step in to check the sex and health of the cubs.
