See pics: Rare endangered Bengal tiger born 20 years after attempts to breed
The jungles of India, Bangladesh, and Nepal previously housed thousands of Bengal tigers.
PremiumJust over a year after four of the striped and gorgeous newborn animals, among them a rare white tiger, graced the grounds, zookeepers announced on Friday that another rare Bengal tiger cub had been born at Cuba's National Zoo in Havana. After 20 years of attempting to breed the endangered cats, all of the cubs were finally born. Fiona and Garfield, her partner, gave birth to all the cubs.
Sadly, the baby cub is the only survivor of a litter of four cubs who were born two weeks ago; his siblings died as a result of severe neurological issues. The unnamed newbie, who was born underweight, is being cared for at the zoo's artificial breeding section and is said to be "frisky".
"The birth of the cub was a joy. It was so small and we have been feeding it milk and caring for it in other ways," 21-year-old Maria Karla Gutierrez, one of its caregivers, said as she cuddled the small cat.
The woods of Bangladesh, India, and Nepal previously housed thousands of Bengal tigers, who are distinguished by their orange coats. However, according to wildlife specialists, their population has fallen to roughly 2,500. Deforestation, overhunting, and poaching have all had an impact.
Three of the nine tiger subspecies in the world went extinct last century, and many scientists think the South China tiger, the fourth, has already reached functional extinction. Cubans like visiting the National Zoo, a wildlife park with 1,473 animals from more than 120 species, including huge creatures like elephants and rhinoceros.
"For the park, for the country and for the world it is a very beautiful thing since tigers are in danger of extinction," zoological veterinarian Angel Cordero said.
"It makes us proud. We are very happy and we are going to continue reproducing the animals," he said.
(With Reuters inputs)
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