This Lunar New Year sees the Chinese zodiac enter the Year of the Tiger. To celebrate the occasion, the London Zoo has released some ridiculously cute pictures of a young tiger cub…
Photo: ZSL London Zoo
Loki, a critically endangered Sumatran tiger cub, was snapped practicing his roar while cautiously investigating his surrounds, before snuggling with his mum Gaysha on the soft straw of their indoor den.
The adorable feline is just seven-weeks-old and already has won over his mum and dad Asim, as well as London Zoo staff.
Those born in the Year of the Tiger are said to possess bravery, strength, self-confidence, and little Loki is no different.
“He’s a strong youngster,” says ZSL London Zoo’s Kathryn Sanders. “He’s definitely found his voice and is squealing constantly for attention – whether he wants a feed, a snuggle or a good lick wash from his attentive parents.”
Sumatran tigers, native to the forests and jungles of Sumatra, Indonesia, are now classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals.
This is the highest category of threat, meaning their risk of extinction in the wild is significant, with poaching, habitat loss and human-conflict all playing a significant role in this.
In the 1970s, there were estimated to be 1,000 Sumatran tigers in the wild, today’s figures say that there are just 300, and risk extinction within the next decade if their decline continues at this rate.
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