ZSL London Zoo has revealed the names of three Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger cubs born at the conservation zoo in June – announcing the trio as Inca, Zac and Crispin.
The three names were decided by ZSL supporters, after the roarsome chance to choose them was auctioned at the Charity’s Safari in the City Gala last month – raising £51,000 for ZSL’s vital work for wildlife in the process.
ZSL London Zoo tiger keeper Martin O ‘Sullivan said: “Inca, Zac and Crispin are great names for these feisty cubs – now four-months-old and growing fast. Inca loves her food and is always ready to defend a bit of chicken from her brothers if necessary. Crispin is a little quieter than his two boisterous siblings, and is definitely a mummy’s boy – preferring to snuggle up to Gaysha in the sun – while Zac is the largest cub and loves playfighting with his sister, getting an early start on developing their hunting skills.
“We can tell the trio apart by the stripe patterns on their faces, which are unique to every tiger – we’re delighted that all three have now been officially named.”
Female Inca and males Zac and Crispin are part of a global conservation effort to protect their species through a collaborative European breeding programme amongst zoos. With only around 300 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, the three new cubs represent a fantastic boost to conservation.
“Though adult tigers are experts at camouflage, the cubs are definitely still only at the practise stage; alongside our visitors, we’ve loved watching them play hide and seek in Tiger Territory this autumn, honing this skill and others such as stalking and pouncing.
“Supporting ZSL and the natural world can come in many forms, including paying a visit to the Zoo and with half-term approaching it’s the perfect time to book a wild day out in support of conservation.”
From Saturday 22 to Sunday 31 October, families are invited to play the wildest card game around with Top Trumps at London Zoo: kids will be able to face-off with the world’s oldest scientific zoo in the ultimate game of Top Trumps, using giant cards to discover which animal species can eat the most, run the fastest or live the longest.
Each giant Top Trump card, stationed around the Zoo, offers children a magical encounter with each species, while revealing spine-tingling, Halloween-related facts about them.
A great value day out this October half-term, Top Trumps at London Zoo is included in the Zoo’s entry price. Book your tickets online now at www.zsl.org/london