ZCZC
BFF-23
INDONESIA-ANIMAL
Amputee Sumatran tiger gives birth to cubs
PADANG-LAWAS, Indonesia, Jan 22, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A Sumatran tiger with
an amputated paw has given birth to a pair of cubs in Indonesia, amid fears
for the future of the critically endangered species.
Gadis — whose name means girl in Indonesian — delivered her babies at
the Padang Lawas conservation area in North Sumatra about a month ago,
conservationists say.
The tiger mom has been undergoing rehabilitation since her paw and part
of her leg were amputated two years ago after getting caught in a trap for
catching wild boars.
“Gadis… has now recovered and is healthy, giving birth to the two
cubs,” said reserve head Parta Basmeli Siregar.
The sex of the two cubs has not yet been established, he added.
Sumatran tiger births are rare and the species is considered critically
endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
There are fewer than 400 left in the wild and environmental activists
say they are increasingly coming into conflict with people as their natural
habitat is rapidly deforested.
BSS/AFP/IJ/1552 hrs