Kim Minichiello

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Update: Tiger Cubs Have Been Born

Photo Credit Disney Parks Blog

On an early post last April, I had mentioned a plein air painting outing I had been on at Disney's Animal Kingdom in between the 2 Sumatran Tiger exhibits, male on one side and female on the other. They couldn't be near each other until she was ready for breeding.  Well, not shortly after I was there, they had done the deed.  The first birth of tiger cubs at Animal kingdom happened last August, a male and a female.

The veterinarian over all of Disney property, Dr. Mark Penning, happens to be my neighbor.  I saw him recently and asked how the cubs were doing.  They have not been out visible to the guests since they were born, one reason being they must learn how to swim first.  Their mother's enclosure has a gorgeous water feature.  The animal keepers are teaching them to swim now.  

Disney is playing an important role in the conservation and understanding of the Sumatran Tiger, an endangered species.  You can read more about that and the tiger cubs here.  Dr. Penning wrote a nice article right after the tigers were born which you can read here