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Phone: 561.547.9453
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TWO NEW TIGERS ON THE PROWL AT THE PALM BEACH ZOO
Two rare Malayan tigers are now on exhibit in ?Tiger Falls? at the Palm Beach Zoo.
The two male tigers (Panthera tigris malayensis) named Mata and Rimba are 17 months old. They were born and mother-raised at The San Diego Zoo and were flown to Palm Beach last month. Only 47 of these highly-endangered tigers are in captivity in the United States and less than 800 are known to be alive in the wild.
The Zoo was chosen to receive the cats based on a transfer recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Tiger Species Survival Plan.
?The Zoo is honored to have been selected to receive these magnificent cats; receiving AZA approval to exhibit this important endangered species speaks volumes about the reputation of our facility, ? Dr. Terry L. Maple, Zoo President and Chief Executive Officer, said. ?These beautiful big cats are the latest addition to what is rapidly becoming a world-class zoological park and top-flight south Florida tourist destination.?
During the first week of November, key members of the Zoo's animal care team went to San Diego to supervise the shipping preparation of the big cats. Special care was required for the shipping containers and environment for the cats during their cross-country trip. After their arrival in West Palm Beach, an observation and quarantine period was observed before they would be introduced to the public.
?The entire Zoo team is tremendously excited, and we want to thank the many donors and members of the ?Big Cat Club? for their generous support. They made it possible for us to bring these animals to our zoo,? Maple said.
The new tigers have made their home next to one of the Zoo's most popular attractions, ?Townee the Tiger.? ?Townee is currently 19 years old, making him one the oldest tigers living in captivity,? Maple said.
?The Palm Beach Zoo has a long, successful history of working with endangered cat species and is ready to take an active role in the conservation of the Malayan tiger. The Zoo will endeavor to educate guests on these magnificent animals and garner a greater appreciation of the need to protect this important species in the wild,? said Keith Lovett, Director of Living Collections, who supervised the transfer of the cats from San Diego to the Palm Beach Zoo.
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