Twin tiger baby birth at Syracuse zoo huge news for rare species!

Syracuse, New York - The Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York, took to social media to share some exciting baby news: Two Amur tiger cubs have been born, and these cuties are twins!

Two Amur tiger babies were born at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York.
Two Amur tiger babies were born at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York.  © Collage: screenshots/Instagram/Syracusezoo/ Seth Groesbeck

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo shared the happy news on social media Monday. The Twitter post of the two cubs, a girl, and a boy, has almost 50,000 views.

These Amur tiger cubs were born on April 29 to proud first-time parents, mom Zeya and father Thimbu, the zoo said in a press release.

"The birth of these tiger cubs is a triumph of conservation and demonstrates the expertise and commitment of the animal care specialists at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo," County Executive Ryan McMahon said in the release.

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The existence of these adorable babies is big news for the rare species, as the wild population of Amur tigers is estimated to be less than 400.

"These are some of the rarest big cats on Earth, and it is a privilege to have an institution in our community that is qualified to provide the complex care that this species requires," McMahon explained.

Amur Tigers are some of the rarest big cats

Zookeepers had been hoping for cubs since 2020, when they introduced Zeya and Thimbu. It's been a long process as tigers, unlike lions, prefer to live solitary lives and only come together for brief breeding periods.

The public will be able to see the tiger twins once they've gotten all their vaccinations and are in their exhibit in a few weeks.

Anyone interested in visiting Zeya and the babies can head to the zoo and watch them on a live camera feed in the zoo's Animal Health Center or stay tuned to social media.

Cover photo: Collage: screenshots/Instagram/Syracusezoo/ Seth Groesbeck

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