They will be outside running and playing in the spring.
The Cincinnati Zoo has stepped up to the plate to raise three Malayan tiger cubs after their mom rejected them.
First-time mom Cinta’s maternal instincts did not kick in and vets, concerned that the cubs' body temperatures would dip too low without the warmth of their mom's body, decided to remove them from the den.
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“It’s not uncommon for first-time tiger moms not to know what to do," said Mike Dulaney, curator of mammals and vice coordinator of the Malayan Tiger SSP. "They can be aggressive and even harm or kill the cubs. Nursery staff is keeping them warm and feeding them every three hours."
The cubs will be cared for in the zoo’s nursery and will then move to Cat Canyon when they no longer require constant care.
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Visitors should be able to see them playing and running around in their outdoor habitat in early spring, according to the zoo.
“The three will grow up together," Dulaney said. "They will not be re-introduced to their mom as she would not recognize them as her own after a prolonged separation."
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