Australasian Sumatran Tiger Population (2022) New Zealand Auckland Zoo: 1.0 Ramah (08/07/2017) Arriving 2022 0.1 Zayana (15/10/2018) Arriving 2022 Hamilton Zoo: 0.1 Mencari (10/01/2000) Jambi x Cantic 0.1 Sali (10/04/2008) Hari x Setia 0.1 Kirana (16/11/2014) Oz x Sali Wellington Zoo: 1.0 Bashi (04/12/2007) Imported 2008 0.1 Senja (21/08/2010) Lari x Soraya Orana Wildlife Park: 1.0 Scout (08/02/2016) Juma x Kaitlyn 1.0 Reggie (31/03/2016) Satu x Maneki Australia Adelaide Zoo: 1.0 Kembali (16/11/2014) Oz x Sali 0.1 Delilah (08/02/2016) Juma x Kaitlyn Australia Zoo: 1.0 Juma (01/04/2004) Lari x Malu 1.0 Ranu (01/04/2004) Lari x Malu 0.1 Singha (01/04/2004) Lari x Malu 0.1 Kaitlyn (04/12/2007) Imported 2008 1.0 Hunter (22/08/2013) Ramalon x Kaitlyn 1.0 Nelson (03/06/2019) Ranu x Kaitlyn 1.0 Malcolm (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn 0.1 Sallie (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn 0.1 Sage (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn Ballarat Wildlife Park: 1.0 Satu (15/05/2005) Imported 2006 Darling Downs Zoo: 1.0 Jalur (12/06/2008) Oz x Molek 0.1 Rani (09/02/2010) Ramalon x Binjai Dreamworld: 0.1 Jaya (09/06/2008) Raja x Soraya 0.1 Shanti (09/06/2008) Raja x Soraya Melbourne Zoo: 1.0 Hutan (09/02/2010) Ramalon x Binjai 0.1 Indrah (09/02/2010) Ramalon x Binjai Mogo Zoo: 1.0 Mati (21/08/2010) Lari x Soraya 1.0 Indra (21/08/2010) Lari x Soraya National Zoo: 0.1 Ndari (09/06/2008) Raja x Soraya 1.0 Aceh (09/02/2010) Ramalon x Binjai Perth Zoo: 1.0 Jaya (20/08/2008) Hari x Setia Sydney Zoo: 1.0 Raja (25/12/2003) Imported 2005 Taronga Zoo: 1.0 Kembali (20/08/2011) Satu x Jumilah 0.1 Kartika (20/08/2011) Satu x Jumilah 1.0 Clarence (22/08/2013) Ramalon x Kaitlyn 1.0 Pemanah (17/01/2019) Clarence x Kartika 0.1 Mawar (17/01/2019) Clarence x Kartika 0.1 Tengah Malam (17/01/2019) Clarence x Kartika Taronga Western Plains Zoo: 1.0 Satu (28/10/2006) Ramalon x Binjai 0.1 Indah (31/03/2007) Raja x Soraya 1.0 Sakti (20/08/2011) Satu x Jumilah Tasmania Zoo: 0.1 Cinta (12/06/2008) Oz x Molek Total regional population: 23.20
I know historically there’s been a tendency to rotate breeding privileges between the zoos. This is all well and good, but I think consideration needs to be given to which zoos are the best equipped for tiger breeding. Australia Zoo, Taronga Zoo and Melbourne Zoo currently have the best breeding set ups; with Auckland Zoo and Hamilton Zoo soon to join them. In the USA, some zoos are facilities to accomodate multiple adult tigers, allowing two pairs to be formed from varying permutations of tigers. This is advantageous as it matches suitable individuals and allows them to side step issues with incompatibility.
Taronga probably has one of the best set ups worldwide. This has allowed them to hold a large group of tigers across multiple different habitats. I’d say Melbourne have the space to hold two breeding pairs but at the present time with Hutan and Indrah, I’d doubt they’d even take the opportunity of importing an entire new pair from overseas.
Taronga have the capacity to hold eight adult tigers, which is ideal as it allows them to hold the offspring born at the zoo well into adulthood. This was identified as a priority in regards to developing the social skills of big cats at Taronga - leaving them with the mother and siblings for at least a year or two beyond the natural dispersal age. Taronga’s original intention was to receive a pair of Sumatran tigers from Indonesia on loan. Had this worked out, this facility would have been ideal for managing their introductions to each other and other incoming tigers. The tigers would have been here on loan, so they would have been keen to maximise the use out of them during that short time.
Auckland Zoo - New Tiger Exhibit For those interested in Auckland Zoo’s new Sumatran tiger exhibits, I’ve uploaded photos here: Auckland Zoo - ZooChat The complex consists of three tiger exhibits, which can comparatively be described as: One small exhibit (approx 11%) One medium exhibit (approx 33%) One large exhibit (approx 56%) The small exhibit will be ideal for introductions and young cubs venturing outside during their first few weeks; while the large and medium exhibits will be the territories of the tiger (Ramah) and tigress (Zayana) respectively when they arrive. Once settled in, the plan is to rotate the tigers between the three exhibits. This will be hugely enriching for them and help facilitate introductions via scent marking and interactions through the mesh. The tigers will traverse the habitat via overhead walkways, including one that passes over the otter exhibit. The exhibit is expected to open around April 2022.
The complex is astoundingly designed and I’m very impressed. The whole South East Asian complex is set to be world class. The overpass above the Otter enclosure has to be a world first. It’ll be interesting to see how they both react, although it’ll be incredibly enriching for both species.
Absolutely have to agree its world class, I wish one our well known east coast zoos would take note and do something similar.
It was astounding. It’s even more impressive in person, though hopefully my photos give a basic overview for those overseas. Having visited London Zoo, I can say Auckland Zoo clearly took inspiration from their tiger exhibit in building their’s, along with designs from other world class zoos to integrate it with the overhead tunnels. Several zoos in the USA have these. The design of the orangutan exhibit underwent a similar process, with the exhibit inspired by several world class zoos. It’s paid dividends and will be an asset to Auckland Zoo for decades to come.
Mencari Turns 22 Although we don’t usually announce birthdays on ZooChat, I thought it was important to note that Mencari turned 22 years old today at Hamilton Zoo: World’s Second Oldest Tiger Turns 22 At Hamilton Zoo | Scoop News Mencari now holds the longevity record for a tiger to live in a New Zealand zoo and in just over seven months, will surpass the region’s record of longevity for her species. This record was set by her first cousin, Kemiri, who died at Adelaide Zoo in 2017 aged 22 years and seven months. The world record was set by another of Mencari’s first cousins, Djelita, who died at the Honolulu Zoo aged 25 years. These three tigers are all granddaughters of Nico and Meta.
Perth Zoo Update Perth Zoo have posted an update on their 13 year old Sumatran tiger: In 2018, Jaya was diagnosed with a thyroid carcinoma and had a tumour removed, his post-surgery prognosis was considered to be around nine months average survival. So we are incredibly grateful this majestic animal is still with us. Whilst his recent vet check revealed no major health concerns, it’s a reminder that our beloved 13 year old tiger is with us for a good time - not a long time. Perth Zoo obviously won’t be receiving a mate for Jaya - though Sumatran tigers feature in their masterplan and therefore aren’t at risk of being phased out.
Great achievement for Hamilton and Mencari! Mencari is descended from quite a long lived line; descended from Taronga’s original pair, Nico and Meta. Apparently she’s the second oldest tiger in the world. An update revealed that although she’s in good health, she’s started slowing down more noticeably over the last few months, which is understandable at the age she’s at now.
After Mencari and Raja, the triplets at Australia Zoo round up the top five. It’s remarkable the entire litter has survived to their 18th year. They’re the great grandchildren of Nico and Meta. Their parents, Lari and Malu, are first cousins (sired by brothers, Shiva and Jambi). The close relationship with their keepers would have contributed to their longevity of the triplets, making it easier for keepers to assess their health. Kemiri, who was no contact but handraised, presumably benefited from the similarly close relationship she enjoyed with her keepers through the bars.
Year of Last Breeding This list shows when our region’s zoos last successfully bred Sumatran tigers (at least one cub from the litter survived to adulthood): Auckland Zoo: 2008 Hamilton Zoo: 2014 Wellington Zoo: 2000, 1996 Orana Wildlife Park: NA Adelaide Zoo: NA Australia Zoo: 2020, 2019, 2016, 2016, 2013 Ballarat Wildlife Park: NA Darling Downs Zoo: NA Dreamworld: 2008, 2007 Melbourne Zoo: 2010, 2006, 1990 Mogo Zoo: 2010, 2004 National Zoo: NA Perth Zoo: 2008, 2000 Sydney Zoo: NA Taronga Western Plains Zoo: NA Tasmania Zoo: NA Taronga Zoo: 2019, 2011, 2003, 1995, 1994, 1988, 1985, 1985, 1983, 1980 Nine holders have successfully bred, but only three holders have bred in the last ten years - Hamilton Zoo, Australia Zoo and Taronga Zoo. Taronga Zoo have bred the most successful litters (ten); followed by Australia Zoo (five); and Melbourne Zoo (three). The next successful breeders will likely be Adelaide Zoo, Darling Downs Zoo and Auckland Zoo.
Topeka Zoo in the USA has applied for an export permit to send Zayana to Auckland Zoo: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-00797/p-24 You can download the permit application here: Regulations.gov
APPLICANT: FRIENDS OF TOPEKA ZOO, INC., TOPEKA, KS; PERMIT NO. PER0025129 The applicant requests a permit to export one female captive-born Sumatran tiger ( Panthera tigris sumatrae ) to Auckland Zoo, Auckland, New Zealand, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the species. This notification is for a single export. No application for Ramah yet. Auckland Zoo are apparently replicating the female establishing her territory, which the male then moves into.
Dimensions of Auckland Zoo’s Tiger Exhibits I’d throughly recommend to anyone interested to read through the full application linked by @Elena above as it gives blueprints of the tiger exhibit and further information on it. The dimensions of the three outdoor exhibits are as follows: Small Exhibit = 200m2 Medium Exhibit = 370m2 Large Exhibit = 790m2 Total = 1360m2 For comparison, Taronga Zoo’s Tiger Trek is three exhibits totalling 1500m2. This is the description of the tiger house (from the application): Constructed of concrete cinder blocks the state-of-the-art housing area has three separate day rooms (18m2, 28m2 and 23m2) along with a 6m2 training area, 2m2 restraint area for medical observations & administering of medication and a 4m2 private cubbing den. These areas allow for segregation via steel mesh, with Day Room 3 being fully separated to allow for isolation/quarantine. These areas are climate controlled through thermostatic heaters and ventilation. Flooring will consist of deep litter/earth floor to day areas and solid non-abrasive washable floor in den areas.
Adelaide Zoo are hoping to breed this year and Auckland Zoo are hoping to breed next year. It’s likely the cubs bred at Auckland Zoo will immediately go into breeding placements upon reaching adulthood. Hamilton Zoo will be receiving Reggie from Orana Wildlife Park to breed with Kirana. This likely won’t be until the next exhibit opens in two or three years.
Australia Zoo will also be an interesting one to watch. Kaitlyn (their Indonesian import) is now 14 years old and at the end of her reproductive life - having produced eight surviving offspring. Any future breeding at Australia Zoo will likely involve her four youngest offspring: 1.0 Nelson (03/06/2019) Ranu x Kaitlyn 1.0 Malcolm (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn 0.1 Sallie (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn 0.1 Sage (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn It’d be great if Australia Zoo once again imported from Indonesia; but it’s more likely they will receive a cub from Auckland’s new pair to breed with one of their tigers in a few years. Even with Clarence breeding at Taronga; and Delilah in a breeding pair at Adelaide, this remains an extremely valuable bloodline.
Congenital Vestibular Disease in Australasia’s Tigers We usually talk about the Nico-Meta line, but today we’re going to be talking about the Frank-Poetry line - who were the subject of an interesting study on Congenital Vestibular Disease (CVD). Vestibular signs including head tilt, circling, ataxia, strabismus and nystagmus were observed between birth and 2 months of age. These clinical signs persisted for a median of 237 days and had resolved by 2 years of age in all cases. Pedigree analysis revealed that all affected tigers were closely related and shared a single common ancestor in the last four generations. A genetic cause for the disease is suspected and, based on pedigree and segregation analysis, an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance is likely. I’d like to start by thanking @Kifaru Bwana, who found the full version of this article: Congenital vestibular disease in captive Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) in Australasia Affected Tigers While it identified the tigers only by a number assigned to them by the study, it was easy to work out which specific tigers were affected. Frank and Poetry had two surviving offspring, Calang and Selatan. Calang was affected - as were two of his three offspring. Neither Selatan or her four surviving offspring were affected - though it ran rife through her son’s offspring. The affected tigers were as follows: Calang’s Branch: 1.0 Calang (1990-2006) Frank x Poetry 1.0 Tenang (2000-2015) Calang x Malu 0.1 Setia (2000-2016) Calang x Malu 0.1 Sali (2008) Hari x Setia Selatan’s Branch: 1.0 Dumai (2003-2020) Juara x Assiqua 1.0 Sendiri (2003-2019) Juara x Assiqua 0.1 Jumilah (2003-2021) Juara x Assiqua 1.0 Juma (2004) Lari x Malu 1.0 Nakal (2006-2008) Ramalon x Binjai 0.1 Isha (2006) Ramalon x Binjai 1.0 Hutan (2010) Ramalon x Binjai 0.1 Indra (2010) Ramalon x Binjai 1.0 Hunter (2013) Ramalon x Kaitlyn Impact on Breeding Decisions Due to the small population size, careful consideration is needed when planning future breeding of Sumatran tigers. The segregation analysis has identified potential carriers of the disorder. Non-affected siblings are not likely to be carrying the mutation, although interference from reduced penetrance or variable expression might mean that this is not necessarily the case. CVD is assumed to disadvantage affected cubs in the wild, although there appears to be limited impact in captivity, with all cubs surviving to adulthood, when there was resolution of the clinical signs. As noted, CVD isn’t a death sentence - though it’s presumably something the zoo’s are looking to breed out. The breeding programme aims to produce genetically healthy animals and avoid genetic flaws. Based on this study, it’s reasonable to assume Ramalon’s affected offspring, including Hutan and Indrah at Melbourne Zoo, have long been designated as non breeding.
