TOLEDO -- Viktor and Talya the Amur tiger cubs are finally ready for Toledo Zoo visitors. The siblings were born on Set. 26 to first-time mother Marta and are on the critically endangered species list.
Visitors can check out their exhibit from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but zoo care staff will monitor them closely for stress and exhaustion. They will eventually expand the hours until 4 p.m., pending weather and exhibit conditions.
The cubs' names come from the Russian language--Viktor meaning "conqueror" and Talya meaning "birthday." Both cubs will remain with their 8-year-old mother for at least two years.
"Both cubs continue to gain weight and mobility, which is a reflection of Marta's outstanding care so far," said Dr. Randi Meyerson, curator of mammals at the zoo. "We are cautiously optimistic about their future progress."
Amur tigers, formerly known as Siberian tigers, are the largest tiger subspecies. About 143 Amur tigers live in zoos around the world. They are critically endangered due to habitat loss and fragmentation as well as poaching of both tigers and their prey.
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