BAY LAKE, Fla. – For the first time in seven years, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a new baby tiger cub.
While small in size now, baby boy Bakso represents more than just his beloved mom, Sohni.
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He is contributing to the regrowth of his population as there are less than 600 Sumatran tigers left in the world, making them an endangered species, said the Animal Kingdom team.
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Dr. Natalie an Animal Kingdom veterinarian, highlights this birth calling it “well-planned and meticulously orchestrated.”
“Tigers are in steep decline in the wild, so it is very special to welcome a new baby here at Disney, the first in seven years. Tiger births are rare in managed care and take a lot of planning and coordinating by our animal care team and the Species Survival Plan,” said Dr. Natalie
The hormone specialists in charge of monitoring Sohni during her pregnancy used advanced technology to monitor the health of Sohni right up until birth, similar to that of baby Corra, the newest African elephant on Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Guests will soon be able to see baby Bakso and his mom Sohni on the Maharajah Jungle Trek within a few months, according to an Instagram post made by Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President at Disney’s Animal Science and Environment.
Until then, the park will give behind-the-scenes looks at the tiger family for a special series called “Tiger TV Tuesdays.”
In a recent episode, doctors shared updates following his first neonatal exam.
