新闻来源：www.abcnews.go.com
原文地址：Pair of rare Amur tiger cubs debuting at Minnesota Zoo are raising hopes for the endangered species
新闻日期：2024-09-12
美国明尼苏达州动物园迎来两只稀有西伯利亚虎幼崽的公开亮相，这对小虎让人们对未来濒危物种——原产于俄罗斯远东地区和中国北部的西伯利亚虎存续充满希望。
这两只双胞胎西伯利亚虎是在5月23日出生的，是12岁的母虎Dari的第12次生育。自那时起，它们已经快速成长至约40-45磅（18-20千克）。
由于环境污染、猎手和栖息地破坏等原因，西伯利亚虎在野外的数量估计仅有400-500只，在野外存活的可能性很低。为了避免灭绝，世界各地的动物园和保护组织进行了不少努力。
明尼苏达州动物园位于明尼阿波利斯市近郊艾泼苹果谷，有着长期的西伯利亚虎保护经验。该园曾成功养育了57只幼崽，其中46只存活至30天以上。此外，还有21只雌虎各自生育了后代，一共又增加了86只新生命。
这对双胞胎小虎的出生让动物园的西伯利亚虎数量增至七只，包括它们的父亲Luka。
原文摘要：
A pair of rare Amur tiger cubs are making their public debut at the Minnesota Zoo, raising hopes for preserving an endangered species that’s native to far eastern Russia and northern China.
Andrei and Amaliya got to venture outside and feel the grass of their new home under their paws Wednesday for the first time since their 12-year-old mother, Dari, gave birth on May 23.
“They’ve done quite well since then,” zoologist Trista Fischer said. “We’ve monitored them very closely. Dari’s been fantastic. She’s provided outstanding maternal care. And so today we’ve reached the point where they’re fully vaccinated and they’re now about 40 to 45 pounds (18-20 kilograms).”
Scientists estimate the Amur tiger population is just around 400 to 500 in the wild. They were near the brink of extinction in the 1930s and 1940s but have recovered somewhat since then. It’s tricky to breed them, and around one in four Amur cubs don’t make it to adulthood, whether it’s in the wild or in captivity, she said. Poachers are another major threat.
But the Minnesota Zoo, located in the Minneapolis suburb of Apple Valley, has a long history of conserving tigers. Its Amur tigers have produced 57 cubs, 46 of which survived for at least 30 days. Of those 46, 21 have gone on to produce litters of their own, amounting to another 86 cubs. The births of Andrei and Amaliya raised the zoo’s population to seven Amur tigers, including their sire, Luka.
Fischer is the leading coordinator for the Tiger Species Survival Plan, a breeding program in the United States with facilities in other countries that works on a global level to preserve the big cats. The plan manages three groups of tigers: Sumatran, Malayan and Amur.
“This litter is so valuable to the population right now,” she explained, saying the genetic diversity of heathy tigers in human care could someday be used to help support populations in the wild.
Zoo spokesperson Zach Nugent said the cubs will remain housed together with their mom for about 18 months, before Andrei, the male, is moved to separate housing, around the same time a male cub in the wild would start venturing out on his own. Amaliya, the female, may spend a little more time with Dari, up to 24 months. Then Fischer will determine whether either cub should be bred, and potentially moved for that to another accredited zoo, which typically happens after the cubs are 2 years old.
“Aww, I love when they get their little Yoda ears,” Fischer said referring to the pointy ears of the Star Wars character as she watched Amaliya and Andrei explore the new terrain of their enclosure. She said it was an emotional, exciting and proud moment for her and her team.
“Our work’s not over, but all that work so far is really paying off in how well that these cubs are acclimating to a new surrounding, pretty much immediately,” she said as the little tigers roamed outside with their mother. “They’re showing a lot of resiliency, which is something that we work hard for in human care. We want these animals to have a lot of confidence and be able to adapt to new environments just as they’re doing today.”
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AP writer Steve Karnowski reported from Minneapolis.
