One of world’s rarest tigers arrives at Pembrokeshire zoo

With fewer than 400 remaining in the wild, the tiger is one of the rarest big cat species in the world and now the first of a pair of Sumatran Tigers has come to the Manor Wildlife Park.

The zoo is owned by interior designer and television presenter Anna Ryder Richardson and people staying in cottages near Tenby and locals alike should head over to the zoo, which is close-by to the seaside town.

The large cat, called Terima, arrived at the zoo over the weekend, but the one year and four month old tiger will soon be joined by a male to begin a breeding programme.

The Pembrokeshire zoo is taking part in this breeding project to help increase the animal’s population as wild tiger numbers continue to dwindle as a result of a rise in poaching.
 

Project a part of the European Endangered Species Programme

The Tigers have come to the Pembrokeshire-based zoo as part of the London Zoo’s European Endangered Species Programme.

Anna Ryder Richardson told Wales Online, “She (Terima) is genetically very important, and her vital statistics and the significant meaning of her name will shortly be available on the zoo’s Facebook page.

“It’s a very proud moment for us all at the park, great for our loyal visitors, tourists and an honour for Wales, together we can all be a part of tiger conservation.”

The Manor Wildlife Park has built a brand-new tiger enclosure in a bid to let visitors see the tigers at close quarters and has followed the guidelines of the European Captive Breeding programme when building the new tiger house.

Holidaymakers in Pembrokeshire cottages this summer will be delighted to hear about the arrival of the tigers as they will go along with the zoos other endangered animals.

One of these endangered animals is the park’s rhinos, the first rhinos that were brought to Wales in thousands of years. One rhino called Zamba is the first artificially inseminated rhino in the UK and just the second in the world.

Image Credit: Keith Roper (flickr.com)

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