Community Corner
Two Sumatran Tigers Join Memphis Zoo To Aid In Conservation
The two tigers will be slowly introduced to one another when the keepers decide they are ready.
February 9, 2022
We have welcomed two Sumatran Tigers to the Memphis Zoo family. Gusti, our male tiger, is 4 years old and full of energy. He’s a big, muscular boy who enjoys playing in his yard with enrichment. Dari, our female tiger, is 7 years old. She is very friendly, always “chuffing” at her keepers when they pass by. She is quite a bit smaller than Gusti and she has very fluffy “cheeks”! She is a feminine and petite tiger whereas Gusti is more muscular. They are both very vocal and you can often hear them calling to one another. The two tigers will be slowly introduced to one another when the keepers decide they are ready. If introductions are successful, you can look forward to seeing these two on exhibit with one another in the future!
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With less than 250 left in the wild and only about 500 left in the world, Sumatran Tigers are critically endangered and need our help. The Memphis Zoo has been chosen as a home for two young Sumatran Tigers with hopes of expanding the population through a breeding program. The tigers that we raise will serve as ambassadors to their species to educate the public on their need for conservation to ensure their survival. They will also contribute to expanding the genetic pool of the Sumatran Tiger population living in zoos. By housing and possibly breeding Sumatran Tigers, the Memphis Zoo participates in a program called a Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is a formally and scientifically managed program to create an optimally sustainable population across facilities. Sumatran tigers are one of the rare species that are managed globally in zoos and related facilities. The SSP in North America partners with similar formally managed programs in Europe and Australasia to further optimize the diversity of the population. Memphis Zoo is honored to be a part of the conservation effort to save Sumatran Tigers from extinction.
This press release was produced by the Memphis Zoo. The views expressed here are the author’s own.