Delighted keepers have revealed two rare Amur tiger cubs born at a British zoo are sisters.
The twins were born to third-time parents Yana and Red.
Their first vaccinations have now allowed keepers to confirm they are both girls and fit and healthy.
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There are thought to be only around 450 Amur tigers remaining in the wild, according to the IUCN Red List.
The species, also known as the Siberian tiger, faces threats including poaching and habitat loss caused by forest fires and logging.
Those in the wild today are descendants of a small population, meaning their genetic similarities make them particularly vulnerable to adapting to new pressures such as disease and climate change, as reported by What’s The Jam.
Amy Waller, Safari Team Manager at Longleat, Wiltshire, said: “The cubs are both doing really well and to have girls is a fantastic boost for the European breeding programme and means they can stay with mum Yana for longer.
“We haven’t yet chosen names as we were waiting to know their gender, so the keepers are now doing some research and watching their characteristics emerge before choosing.
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“One of the girls is very mischievous and into everything while the other is more cautious.”
Keepers are giving Yana extra food to ensure she has enough energy to provide for the “chunky little cubs”.
Waller said: “It is a real privilege to welcome another litter of these endangered animals – and in the 60th year of the drive-through safari no less.
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“Yana is a fantastic mum and has raised six cubs so far, so we have no doubt that she knows exactly what she is doing and we’re following her lead.”
The cubs will feed from their mum for about six months before she starts weaning them onto meat.
Yana gave birth to four girls in 2024, three of whom are still at Longleat.
All the tiger cubs are born as part of the European Breeding Programme and, where recommended, will move to new homes to help preserve the species for future generations.
Longleat is now home to seven tigers and has the largest family group in the UK.
Yana and Red’s first litter, and the first at Longleat in 20 years, were born in 2019, with one boy, Rusty, and one girl, Yuki.
Their next litter of four girls arrived in May 2024 and, with help from the public, were named Ginger Biscuit, Dora-Boo, Heidi and Seeka.
Three of the pair’s offspring have since moved to other wildlife collections as part of the European Endangered Species Programme, which aims to maintain a healthy captive population of the species.
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