Wild Wednesday: 5 Rare Malayan Tiger Cubs Thriving at Tulsa Zoo

Five Malayan tiger cubs, born at the Tulsa Zoo in August, are reaching exciting new milestones, according to Curator of Mammals Jordan Piha.

The cubs, much like human children, enjoy running, playing, and occasionally testing the patience of their mother, Ava.

"She is a fantastic mother, so she tolerates all five of them very well," Piha said.

The litter’s size is notable for this critically endangered species.

"There is only one other time that five cubs from Malayans have been born, and this is the only time that all five have survived for this length of time," Piha added.

Until recently, the zoo’s care team has been weighing the cubs, conducting health checks, and hand-feeding them.

"They are getting big," Piha said. "They are all over 20 pounds, they are starting to be real tigers now, and so for their safety, for our safety, we start moving out."

Zookeepers are training the tiger cubs to take their food through a wall using meat sticks, helping them transition to more independent feeding.

Visitors to the zoo have been delighted by the chance to see the cubs up close. The Hoopes family happened to visit at the right time.

"On the way over here, my wife was mentioning that she heard about these baby cubs, and so we made sure to come and see," said Robby Hoopes.

His children giggled while watching the tiger cubs run and play inside their Lost Kingdom exhibit.

"They have had a blast," Hoopes said. "It is kind of fun to see the tigers’ own little personalities and their interaction with their mom."

The cubs’ playful antics are a part of their development.

"They are stalking each other, they are pouncing, they are tackling, they are pretending to be real tigers chasing their prey," Piha said.

With fewer than 150 Malayan tigers believed to remain in the wild and fewer than 60 in Association of Zoos & Aquariums facilities, the Tulsa Zoo’s cubs play a critical role in the species' survival plan.

"For Ava to have 10% of the population, you do not get to say that every day, so we are really excited to have them here and to continue to increase those numbers," Piha said.

For more information on zoo hours and exhibits, visit tulsazoo.org.