Happy 1st Birthday Thyme & Warner!

 

1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY
Thyme and Warner, the Buffalo Zoo's two Amur Tiger cubs celebrated their 1st birthday on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008.  Here are some pictures of this exciting event:

 

Terence Rafferty, President of Time Warner Cable's Western New York Division, welcomes those attending Thyme & Warner's 1st birthday celebration.

 

A kindergartner from Discovery School (Buffalo Public School #67)
gives the tiger cubs' keeper a hand-made birthday card.

 

Kindergartners from Discovery School sing "Happy Birthday" to Thyme & Warner.

 

Discover School students are ready for birthday cake to celebrate the cubs' big day!

 

Thyme jumps at her birthday pinata filled with tiger treats.

 

ABOUT THYME AND WARNER

Born on October 7, 2007, Thyme and Warner each weighed in at approximately two pounds. Their births are a huge success for the Buffalo Zoo, as these are the first surviving tiger cubs to be born at the Zoo since 1988. The breeding of the cubs’ parents, Sungari and Toma, was recommended as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is designed to help a species maintain a healthy and stable captive population. Sungari has taken excellent care of her cubs, who now weigh approximately 25 pounds.

To view more pictures of the cubs, visit our Thyme and Warner picture page.

 

ABOUT AMUR TIGERS

• Amur tigers are the largest and heaviest cats in the world.
• Formerly referred to as Siberian tigers, Amur tigers have now settled into Russia's far east Amur-Ussuri region. Some also can be found across the border in northern China and Korea.
• Male Amur tigers can weigh as much as 600 pounds, while female tigers generally weigh 300-350 pounds.
• Amur tigers almost reached extinction in the mid-1900's, but after becoming a protected species, there are believed to be approximately 500 adult tigers worldwide.
• Because of the severe cold they live in, their fur coat is more pale and thicker than other tigers, and their paws are larger to better move in snow.
• While dense with vegetation, the Russian far east isn't heavily populated or dense with animals.  Due to the lack of prey, Adult Amur tigers need a large area for habitat.
• The carnivorous Amur tiger is a powerful hunter of large prey, such as deer, boar, moose and bear.  When food is scarce, they have been known to take smaller animals.
• Gestation for Amur tigers is 3-3 1/2 months. Litter size is typically 3-5 cubs, but can be as many as 6.