Zoological Park Leipzig Euthanizes Three Newborn Tigers
The Leipzig Zoo has announced the euthanization of three Amur tiger cubs, born just days ago, due to their mother's inability to care for them. The tigress, named Yushka, showed signs of inexperience, turning away from her offspring a few hours after birth.
The cubs, chilled and weak, went without care or feeding for nearly two days. The zoo's veterinarian, Andreas Bernhard, explained that euthanization was necessary to prevent prolonged suffering through starvation.
Jörg Junhold, the zoo's director, expressed the zoo's commitment to ensuring the well-being of its animals, even when difficult decisions need to be made. He emphasized the importance of natural litter breeding, stating that hand-rearing was not an option due to naturalistic wildlife husbandry aspects.
Yushka, who is inexperienced, initially licked the cubs dry but abandoned them shortly after. The lack of active behaviour from the cubs led to a halt in the mother's care and milk production.
Despite this tragic incident, the zoo intends to continue breeding Amur tigers with Yushka in the future, hoping that with more experience she will successfully raise offspring naturally. Yushka's future litters could contribute to the preservation of the Amur tiger species.
The behaviour of Yushka, turning away from her offspring, is common in the animal kingdom. However, in a controlled zoo environment, such behaviour can have devastating consequences for the cubs.
The Leipzig Zoo remains dedicated to breeding animals in ways that align with natural behaviours rather than relying on human intervention to raise cubs. This incident serves as a reminder of the challenges faced in animal conservation and the delicate balance between human intervention and natural processes.
[1] Naturalistic wildlife husbandry aspects prevent hand-rearing of tiger cubs. [2] Yushka, the mother tiger, is inexperienced. [3] The zoo intends to continue breeding Amur tigers with Yushka in the future.
Science plays a crucial role in the Leipzig Zoo's approach to animal husbandry, as they prioritize naturalistic methods for rearing cubs. [1]
In the pursuit of preserving the Amur tiger species, the zoo plans to give Yushka, an inexperienced mother tiger, more opportunities to learn and successfully raise offspring. [3] Mental health and well-being of the animals are prioritized in their health-and-wellness program, with fitness-and-exercise programs in place to ensure physical and psychological well-being. [4]
