Theodoros Babilis and staff at Attica Zoological Park received three 2-month-old Sumatran tiger cubs for vaccination and microchipping.
Three 2-month-old Sumatran tiger cubs received identification microchips and their first vaccinations at a zoo near Athens, Greece. The cubs were born in early July to their mother, Toba, and their father, Argos, who died of cancer.
Show the rest of this summary
Head keeper of cats and monkeys at Attica Zoological Park, Theodoros Babilis, stated that the Sumatran tiger is one of the most threatened tiger species in the world. The species is classified as critically endangered, with as few as 400 individuals remaining in the wild primarily due to aggressive forest clearing. Veterinary staff, including Dr. Arsenoi Psaroudaki, worked to vaccinate the cubs while ferrying them in carriers on electric buggies to limit stress. The cubs received a vaccine that protects against three diseases. The zoo staff noted that the cubs will eventually be named after characters from Homer’s 'The Odyssey.' These tigers are the smallest tiger species in the world, but males can reach 2.55 meters in length and weigh up to 140 kilograms. The zoo is maintaining a safety population to allow for potential future reintroductions into the wild.