:quality(80))
Sumatran Tiger
We are home to two Sumatran tigers, male Dao and female Carrie.
Like all felines, our tigers like to conserve their energy and will sleep for up to 18 hours a day!
Class:
Mammals
Order:
Carnivora
Family:
Felidae
About the Sumatran tiger
The smallest of the tiger subspecies, Sumatran tigers are native to mixed tropical forests and mangrove swamps on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Compared to the Amur or Bengal tiger, this subspecies' stripes are closer together to provide better camouflage in the wild.
They are semi-aquatic predators with a carnivorous diet, preying on monkeys, fish, deer and wild boar. After a gestation period of around 100 days, a female tiger gives birth to a litter of one to six cubs.
Conservation
Destruction of their forest habitat for unsustainable palm oil plantations and hunting are serious threats to this Critically Endangered species. Hunting tigers in Indonesia is strictly prohibited, and many of the remaining wild Sumatran tigers live in protected areas such as national parks.
There is an important EAZA ex-situ breeding programme (EEP) for Sumatran tigers across Europe that is managed by ZSL London Zoo. Our tigers Carrie and Padme are currently too young to breed, but will be vital individuals for the EEP in the future.
The last Sumatran tiger born at Paignton Zoo in 2016, Lucu, moved to Edinburgh Zoo in November 2020 to be paired with a female as part of the EEP.