August in the Zoo this year is much more than preparing for the Bacon & Brew event. This year, the Zoo is also preparing for the departure of some of the tigers as the draft SSP (Species Survival Program) recommendations have been released. We all knew it was coming, but there was one surprise included that none of us were expecting.
The staff knew that there would come a time that the tiger cubs would need to move on. The male cubs, Dmitri and Luka, had already been separated from their mother, Zoya, and sister, Viktoria, as they began to reach closer to sexual maturity. And now, as discussed in last week’s article , it was time for the SSP Steering Committee to look at the entire population of Amur tigers in human care to make decisions based on the present and future needs of the accredited zoos.
Although the draft recommendations are still going through review, the staff is already moving forward to reach out to other zoos involved to get the ball rolling. The recommendations affecting the cubs included the boys staying together and being transferred to an institution that currently has an empty habitat and needs animals. The boys will fill it nicely and who knows what trouble they can get into with a whole new habitat? Viktoria on the other hand will travel alone to her new home. Once space is available in RPZ, she will be separated from Zoya to learn to be less dependent on her mother. This early transition will make it easier once it is time for her to be transferred.
Now for the twist we did not see coming. The SSP steering committee has recommended that Viktor, the father of the cubs, be relocated to another facility that currently is in need of a tiger for its enclosure. In his place the RPZ will be receiving a 6-year-old male from a separate facility to hopefully breed with Zoya. Genetically, the offspring from Viktor and Zoya are not of great value to the overall population. However, the offspring from this new male and Zoya would be an asset to future generations.
Additionally, the location where this new male is currently living has not been able to get him to breed with their female. The SSP has requested that we take him to pair with Zoya in hopes that she, with help from the staff, can help him to be successful. This recommendation says a lot about the confidence that the SSP steering committee has in our staff’s abilities and the quality of our habitats to facilitate such recommendations.
Some of these moves will occur in weeks while the other may be months, but either way, we know they are headed elsewhere to make room for the new male and starting the process over again. So at a time when families are busy finishing up their summers and preparing for school, now is the time to make a point of coming out to see the cubs and Viktor once more as we get ready to say goodbye.