Latest news with #SpeciesSurvivalProgram
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Zoo Knoxville gives insight into new Malayan Tiger's adjustment
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Zoo Knoxville's newest Malayan tiger, who was brought in as part of a breeding recommendation, is settling in. On Wednesday, the zoo gave 6 News a look behind the scenes into how he is adjusting to his new home. Last week, Zoo Knoxville shared that it had welcomed 10-year-old male Malayan tiger named Jango through a Species Survival Program by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. According to the zoo, he is considered the most genetically valuable male Malayan tiger in the world. New macaw aviary opens at Zoo Knoxville, offering up-close experiences Since he has arrived, Jango has slowly been adjusting to his new habitat slowly, with zoo staff keeping a close eye on him to make sure he is not too stressed by the changes. Zookeepers have been working to make sure the tiger has plenty of enrichment among meeting his other needs while also keeping up with training sessions. As keepers work with Jango, one of the tools they use is considered a 'Jackpot,' Director of Animal Care, Conservation and Education Phil Colclough explained. For Jango, that Jackpot is essentially 'watered down blood.' 'It's the same stuff whenever you thaw out ground beef at home, you get that that albumin and that liquid that would that occurs at the bottom and we save that and use that for our training. That's a real jackpot. That's a real thing that that they like a whole lot,' Colclough said. 'We want to make sure that our animals participate as much in their own veterinary healthcare as is possible. So we really want our our animals to be able to open up their mouths on command or raise up so you can see their bellies and look into their eyes and get all those things done that you need to do without actually sedating them to do that.' When he isn't training, eating, or taking part in enrichment activities like pulling or dragging things around, he's likely sleeping. Zookeeper Wendy Boulger explained that Malayan tigers, like Jango, sleep for upwards of 16 to 20 hours per day. Jango was recommended to breed with the zoo's female Malayan tiger Batarai, who is among the top 10 most genetically valuable female tigers of her subspecies, according to Boulger. Neither tiger have produced cubs before, and the pairing was chosen to help preserve the subspecies' genetic diversity. There are several subspecies of tigers, Boulger explained, and Malayan tigers are the second smallest subspecies. Two children laid to rest after adoptive parents plead guilty in Roane-Knox County child abuse case Although the zoo has been attempting to breed Malayan tigers for around a decade, they have been unsuccessful so far. Boulger explained they are hoping Batari and Jango's more 'spunky' personalities will make a good pairing that results in cubs. Colclough also explained that the zoo had previously hoped to breed Batari with their other male Malayan tiger, Tahan, but because of his age and how stressful breeding can be on tigers, the decision was made that he was too old to be responsibly bred. She said in the wild, there are estimated to be 200 or less Malayan tigers left. While the hope is that conservation may be able to prevent the subspecies from becoming extinct in the wild, the Malayan tiger faces that possibility because of poaching and deforestation for palm oil farming. 'We want to make sure that these specific species are not cross breeding with other species, that these guys are specific to Malaysia and that these Malayan tigers that are losing their habitat, they are being poached and killed for other reasons. That if we were need needing to release them out to the wild far down the line, if it were to ever be that they do go extinct in the wild, that we have specific Malayan tigers to go into the wild.' Boulger said. 'I want it fixed' East TN woman's new wooden flooring falling apart In addition to visiting Zoo Knoxville, where part of the ticket cost goes toward conservation efforts, one way that people can help with the conservation of the Malayan tiger is by researching and purchasing sustainably made items containing palm oil, both Boulger and Colclough said. 'There is a PalmOil Scan app that you can download on your phone. That helps you find sustainable products in stores. Whether it there be candy, shampoo, you know body wash, things like that… Palm oil is found in pretty much everything,' Boulger explained. The PalmOil Scan app, created by the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is available for download from Google Play and the Apple App Store. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
12-03-2025
- General
- CBS News
Polar bear Haley is moving to Detroit Zoo from Tennessee
A female polar bear will be transferred to the Detroit Zoo as part of a breeding recommendation and wildlife conservation effort. Haley, the 22-year-old polar bear, left Memphis Zoo in Tennessee over the weekend in preparation for her new home in Michigan. Lately, two polar bears have been part of the Detroit Zoo collection, a male named Nuka born in 2004 and a female named Suka born in 2012. Haley was born Nov. 15, 2002, at Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, New York. She arrived at the Memphis Zoo when she was four years old as a possible breeding partner for other polar bears in Memphis. Polar bears are the largest member of the bear family, and the populations in the wild Arctic have been affected by the melting of some of their sea ice habitat. Although she has never had cubs, Haley is a bright, inquisitive bear who enjoys enrichment, especially puzzle feeders," the Memphis Zoo reported. "She's also a guest favorite, often seen swimming and engaging with visitors at the underwater viewing windows." Koda, the other Memphis Zoo polar bear, will remain in Tennessee, and seems to be adjusting well to Haley's departure. "While we will miss Haley tremendously, we are proud to support polar bear conservation and look forward to seeing her thrive in her new home," the Memphis Zoo staff said. The Memphis Zoo has hosted polar bears since the 1930s. The site participates in the Polar Bears International and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Program, which works to support the populations of endangered species.
