TIGER AND LEOPARD CUBS AT ZOO

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 302, 16 September 1940, Page 6

TIGER AND LEOPARD CUBS AT ZOO

Births Among The Big

Carnivores

TIGRESS REFUSES TO FEED

FAMILY

Two tiger and two leopard cubs have recently been born at Newtown Park Zoo. Unfortunately, the tigress concerned declined to rear her cubs, which had to be destroyed. The little leopard kittens, however, are at present doing well. The pair of tigers which had mated were the young ones presented about three years ago by an Indian Army officer. When they arrived at tho zoo they were mere cubs, which during the voyage from Calcutta had been permitted to scamper about the steamer’s deck and play with the passengers. The zoo curator, Mr. W. Cutler, said that It. was not unusual for a tigress to refuse to feed its first brood. Asked if It would not have been possible to rear the cubs by hand, he said that to do so would entail feeding them every two hours for some months with a special milk mixture which would have to be obtained from England. Tiger cubs were sometimes reared on goat’s milk or other substitutes, but the result was that they grew up ricketty and bandylegged and bad ultimately to be destroyed. To rear them in this way was therefore cruelty. The leopardess, though a creature more temperamental and wild than the tigress, has so far fed her cubs satisfactorily, and it seems probable she will continue to do so. She resents the slightest interest being taken In bet family, however, and even snarls and bares her teeth at. members of the public peering into her den from across the cage in front of it. The leopard kittens arc of a greyish colour, more like little tabby cats than leopards. The tawny yellow and smart black spots are acquired only as they begin to grow up.