Zoo Atlanta welcomes critically endangered Sumatran Tiger
Buttercup the Sumatran tiger (Courtesy of Wildlife Safari)
ATLANTA - Zoo Atlanta's newest addition knows that stripes are always in fashion.
Buttercup, a 2-year-old Sumatran tiger, arrived at the zoo on Wednesday night from Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon.
What we know:
The move is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Sumatran Tiger Species Survival Plan, which recommended that Buttercup be paired with Zoo Atlanta's male Sumatran tiger, Bob.
Buttercup is now completing a routine quarantine period of about a month before she'll be allowed to explore the zoo's John P. Imlay Tiger Habitat.
Dig deeper:
Sumatran tigers are among the rarest cats on the planet and have been classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
It's estimated that the species numbers fewer in 400 in the wild due to habitat loss and deforestation by palm oil plantations.
The animals are the target of poachers, who sell their skins and bones.
What they're saying:
"Zoo Atlanta is thrilled to welcome Buttercup and to share the important story that she and Bob have to tell as ambassadors for a critically endangered species," said Gina Ferrie, PhD, the zoo's vice president of Collections and Conservation. "In the case of Sumatran tigers, the species’ most urgent conservation challenges are ones we can all influence here at home in our own daily lives."
What's next:
The zoo will announce when Buttercup will be in the John P. Imlay Tiger Habitat at a later date.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by Zoo Atlanta.