Toronto Zoo reveals name of last remaining endangered Amur tiger cub
Posted July 29, 2021 11:20 am.
Last Updated July 29, 2021 3:40 pm.
The Toronto Zoo revealed the name of an Amur tiger cub that survived from a litter born in early May after two of its siblings died at the facility.
The zoo shared a photo of Mazy and its cub Mila, a name selected after over 15,000 people voted in the “Help Us Give #TOTigerCub A Name” campaign.
Hello my name is…. ???????? #TOTigerCub #MazyAndMila pic.twitter.com/ygWwWV9CGh
— The Toronto Zoo (@TheTorontoZoo) July 29, 2021
Mazyria, affectionately known to Zoo staff and volunteers as “Mazy,” gave birth to three cubs on April 31 after a 104-day pregnancy.
In late May, the zoo was forced to euthanize a cub nicknamed Small, monitored closely since its birth as it had not been gaining weight.
The zoo’s medical team discovered several heart defects, including a hole between the main chambers and a key blood vessel coming from the wrong side of the organ, which was too complex to be repaired.
Her death came 10 days after another cub from the same litter was euthanized due to multiple ailments, including severe liver damage.
“This Amur tiger cub continues to thrive, nursing regularly from Mazy. While the first few months are critical to the cub’s survival, we are cautiously optimistic based on her progression that she will continue to grow healthy and strong,” the Toronto Zoo said in a statement on Thursday.
The cubs were born after Mazy was paired with the male tiger Vasili through a program to promote conservation. The zoo says at nearly 14 years old, Mazy is one of the oldest Amur tigers to give birth in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) population.
Amur tigers have been on the endangered list since 2007.
