The Sumatran tiger, with only 300 to 400 left in the wild, is one of the most critically endangered species in the world. Between rampant poaching and rising deforestation of their natural habitat in Indonesia, those numbers sadly only continue to decline.
So when a new Sumatran tiger cub is born, it’s always a reason for celebration. At the ZSL London Zoo, a pregnant tiger named Melati was due to give birth. After 108 days of pregnancy, she finally went into labor.
What she delivered that day was, however, was a very pleasant surprise! Just wait until you see what Melati did while everyone was watching…
With a dwindling population of only 300 to 400, Sumatran tigers are considered one of the most critically endangered species on planet Earth. And so long as threats like deforestation and poaching continue in their native habitats in Indonesia, their numbers will only continue to decline.
For this reason, there’s always a major cause for celebration when one gives birth to a cub of its own. When Melati, a Sumatran tiger living at the ZSL London Zoo, became pregnant, the staff and scientists were elated, to say the least.
After a nerve-racking 108 days of pregnancy, Melati suddenly went into labor. The staff excitedly set up a camera in her den at the zoo in case the event occurred while they weren’t around. But what she would deliver that day would turn out to be a pleasant surprise for everyone involved…
As Melati went into labor, her partner, Jae Jae, joined her in the den to welcome their new cub into the world. You could sense Jae Jae’s excitement as Melati carefully tended to their little newborn cub.
Shortly thereafter, something miraculous took place. Not even an hour later, Melati began to act a little strange, as if she were uncomfortable. Could it have been the aftereffects of giving birth to a cub? No! It was a second cub—a twin!—which was an incredibly rare occurrence for tigers.
Following the birth, Melati was sure to give both of her newborn cubs a nice bath. Exhausted, she then took a moment to relax while her two youngsters snuggled up for their first feeding session. You can tell which cub was a bit more pushy than the other!
Melati’s bond with her newborn cubs was instantaneous, and she spent the next several hours tending to their every need. Luckily, Jae Jae felt the same way, and he took an immediate interest in forming a relationship with his little ones.
Most newborn tiger cubs don’t open their eyes until between six and 12 days have passed. Melati’s were no different, and they had yet to open theirs. Melati probably couldn’t wait until they did so they could see her for the first time!
The zookeepers were pleased with the little family’s progress since the cubs were born. Despite their inability to see their mother, they could frequently be found nestling into her chest and getting all the milk they would need to grow.
The fact that Melati gave birth to twin Sumatran tiger cubs was incredible. While there was still a lot of work to be done to help remove Sumatran tigers from the critically endangered species list, Melati certain did her part in welcoming not one, but two, into the world! Watch the entire video below to see the tiger cubs being born…
This rare occurrence is welcome news for environmentalists worldwide. Hopefully the Sumatran tiger population continues to grow!
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