Come Celebrate International Tiger Day at the Zoo

July 29th is International Tiger Day and the Virginia Zoo is celebrating with some fun festivities on from 11 am to 2 pm. The Zoo’s Education Department will be hosting discovery stations, tiger-themed crafts, face painting and exciting games. You’ll find trail hosts throughout Asia – Trail of the Tiger and have the chance to learn all you can about the Zoo’s adult male tiger, Christopher, and the two tiger teens, Stubbley and Osceola. How will you tell them apart when you see them? Christopher is the tiger that is solo on exhibit. Stubbley and Osceola go on exhibit together. You can tell the boys apart by looking for a fuller beard and darker “eyebrows” on Stubbley.

Adult Malaysian tigers (Panthera tigris jacksoni) can weigh approximately 260 pounds for males and 220 pounds for females. They are carnivorous animals, eating birds, fish, rodents, Water buffalo, elephants and rhinos. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) Red List classifies the tigers as Critically Endangered. With less than 4,000 of this tiger species in the wild, the births of Stubbley and Osceola last January demonstrates the Virginia Zoo’s significant contribution to a sustainable breeding population of the species as well as its long-term commitment to the conservation of the species in the wild.

Visit tigercampaign.org to find out how you can help #SaveWildTigers and join the fight to save these big, beautiful cats.

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