WASHINGTON — It’s a big day for the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s new Sumatran tiger cub.
Two weeks after being born, zookeepers can now say the little cub is a boy. Or, at least it appears that way.
“It can be difficult to determine the sex of a neonate cat because genitalia can look very similar for the first few weeks,” said Craig Saffoe, the curator of the Great Cats exhibit. “However, at a glance, it appears that Damai [the cub’s mother] has a male cub! His first veterinary exam will take place in a couple of weeks, which includes a physical exam and vaccinations. We should be able to confirm the Cub’s sex during that exam.”
Keepers are monitoring Damai and her offspring via closed-circuit camera so the family has time to bond.
The cub won’t make his big debut to the public until the fall, but visitors can still see his father and half-brother, 3-year-old Bandar.
It’s good timing for the cub as well. Saturday is Global Tiger Day. It’s estimated that there are only between 300 and 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild.
