COLUMBUS – Three new Amur tiger cubs have joined the family at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
According to a post on the zoo’s Facebook page, the three cubs were born to Mara on July 12 and during the early-morning hours of July 13. Reportedly, a fourth cub was stillborn
Zoo officials say Mara, who has delivered two previous litters since coming to the zoo in 2007, is doing well and is taking care of the cubs.
The animal care staff says Mara and the newborns will be monitored by a remote camera and they will not know the sex of the cubs until their check-up in the next few weeks.
The pairing of Mara and dad Jupiter was based on a recommendation from The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan.
Amur tigers are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species and it’s estimated that fewer than 400 exist in the forests of the Russian Far East.
Their populations are dwindling due to overhunting of prey species such as deer and wild boar, habitat loss, and poaching for skins and body parts used in traditional Chinese medicine.