Hope for Siberian tigers born in China although they will remain in captivity

In the Hailin Siberian Tiger Park, more than 30 cubs were born: a stronghold for the preservation of one of the world's rarest species. However, these animals will spend their entire lives in captivity.

In recent weeks, over 30 Siberian tiger cubs were born at the vast Hailin Siberian Tiger Park in China's Heilongjiang province. For a species considered one of the most endangered on the planet, this represents a major achievement in animal conservation.

The births began in early April, right in the middle of the species' main natural breeding season, which lasts until June. According to the center's caretakers, cubs born during this seasonal window tend to have a better chance of survival thanks to more favorable climatic conditions.

Incubators, constant monitoring and regular feeding

The very first days of life are extremely delicate. Many are housed in temperature-controlled incubators, maintained at around 28 degrees (Celsius), as young tigers are not yet able to regulate their own body temperature.

The teams work in continuous shifts: the babies are fed milk every four to six hours, weighed daily and subjected to constant monitoring. Even the stimulation of digestion and the control of their movements are carried out manually by the carers.

After about a month, the gradual transition to minced meat begins, while complete weaning can take up to three months. When they reach 40 days of age, the pups are taken out into the open air to sunbathe, run in the grass and develop their reflexes and muscles.

For the caretakers, distinguishing between dozens of seemingly identical cubs is a simple task. Each tiger has a unique stripe pattern, comparable to human fingerprints. Eyes, muzzle and facial features also help the staff to identify and name them.

Good news, but no real freedom

The increase in births is certainly an encouraging sign for the future of the species, once widespread between Russian Siberia and the forests of northeast China. Nevertheless, the reality remains complex: these tigers still live in captivity.

Fortunately, the animals are not confined to small cages. They do, however, live in large, controlled enclosures where contact with tourists is an integral part of the park experience. Visitors can feed meat to the tigers, they can be photographed with them and watch them while sitting in protected jeeps, while the beasts sometimes leap onto the roofs of vehicles to catch food thrown by staff. These are all scenes that remind us that these great predators, even if they evolve in wide open spaces, do not know the true freedom of their original habitat of forests, snow and wild hunting.

Source: 黑龙江海林：10只满月东北虎幼崽亮相-黑龙江省人民政府