Three adorable baby tigers were welcomed into the world this week.
Malayan tiger Cinta at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens gave birth to the three babies on Sunday, November 5, according to a Facebook post.
Video from the zoo shows the mom Cinta giving birth to the babies as they effortlessly fall into a barrel of hay.
Mommy Cinta appears to take plenty of rest after – allowing the cubs to nurse.
“Cinta has been very attentive to her babies, grooming and allowing the cubs to nurse, so we are giving them space while they get settled in and bond privately behind the scenes,” the zoo said.
Tiger cubs are born blind but gain their full vision about two weeks from birth.
With less than 150 Malayan tigers left in the wild, the birth is significant to the sustainability of the critically endangered species.
Facts about the Malayan tiger
The Malayan tiger is one of the smallest tiger species found throughout the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula and southern parts of Thailand.
They are solitary animals but can be seen in numbers during the mating period that runs from November to March. During this period, females leave their scents to communicate their “availability” to potential mates.
These tigers also communicate using different vocalizations such as chuffs, moans, growls, and roars.
Some threats to the Malayan tiger species include illegal poaching and hunting for its body parts.
To date, three tiger subspecies have gone extinct – the Bali tiger, the Caspian tiger, and the Javan tiger.
