CCTV captured two rare Sumatran tiger cubs emerging from their den for the first time at Chester Zoo, the zoo said.
The cubs, named Alif — a popular name in Indonesia — and Raya, after Mount Raya in Sumatra, were born to first-time parents Kasarna and Dash on January 7.
CCTV footage shared by Chester Zoo shows the twins enjoying some playful “rough and tumble” in the company of their mum.
Dayna Thain, Carnivore Keeper at Chester Zoo, said: “The cubs are still a little shy and pop in and out of the den with mum Kasarna, but it’s going to be a real privilege to watch as they grow in confidence and their feisty personalities really start to show through.”
“Crucially, with so few Sumatran tigers left on the planet, Kasarna’s girls are vitally important additions to the conservation breeding programme which is working tirelessly to prevent the species from becoming extinct,” Thain said.
Sumatran tigers are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature – the most severe conservation category and highest priority.
Credit: Chester Zoo via Storyful
