I was just watching the two repeats of Animal Park on BBC iPlayer, Series 8. I watched a later series a while ago (they don't seem to repeat them in order), and there were only three Amur sisters. I'm guessing Kudu (sp?) died too not long after their arrival? Also, are there any plans to breed from the sisters? Or are they over-represented/impure?
Kaduu died in late 2007/early 2008, not sure of the exact date. And I have heard they plan to breed from the sisters.
This link states that a male cub born at Longleat named Batu went on loan to Glasgow Zoo before returning to Longleat and in 2000 went on to a german zoo. It has a several details about him and his father Sonar. MUTANT BIG CATS
Zena and Zia, born to Sonar and Chandi at Longleat live at IOW Zoo where they were hand-raised after rejection by Chandi. This sort of breeding is of course from less enlightened times, but the individual cats are naturally adorable and doing fantastically despite some in-bred health problems. Did Sonar definitely have Siberian genes?
Kaduu was a very old tiger then It'd be great if they bred them at Longleat-they definately seem to have outdoor space for three litters. However, seeing as tigers tend to prefer being alone (or in pairs), wouldn't they end up sending one or two of the sisters off to other UK collections?
I had the same thought. with a male they would then have four. cubs on top of this from the girls may be pushing it slightly.
Prehaps they could send one of the girls onto Colchester Zoo as they have a pure amur male and female with sumatran genes. Banham Zoo has 2 pure male amur tiger cubs. Providing they are unrelated one of these cubs could then be sent on to Longleat.
To be fair that would be a matter for the European studbook keeper, not an ad-hoc arrangement between zoos. Sonar & Chandi also had a white daughter Zara who headed off to Spain, does anyone know what happened to her?
