Troubles in the Tiger Sanctuary: No Offspring Produced
In a heart-wrenching turn of events at Leipzig Zoo, Amur tigress Yushka abandoned her three newborn cubs, leading to their euthanasia. The world's largest big cats were born on Wednesday evening, but their mother, a first-time mother, stopped caring for them within hours after birth.
Yushka initially took excellent care of her offspring, licking them dry and observing their first suckling attempts. However, the inexperienced mother soon abandoned them without apparent reason, and over two days of maternal neglect, the cubs cooled down and weakened significantly.
Veterinarian Dr. Andreas Bernhard explained that when the cubs lost the ability to stimulate the mother's milk production, euthanasia became necessary to spare them from suffering. The zoo director, Prof. Jörg Junhold, described the situation as emotionally sad but typical for inexperienced mothers in the animal kingdom.
Leipzig Zoo aims to ensure natural, unimpaired behavior in Amur tigers through appropriate wildlife husbandry. Hand-rearing the cubs was rejected to maintain species-appropriate wild animal husbandry standards. The zoo gave Yushka time to gain as much experience as possible, but had to euthanize the cubs due to their deteriorating condition.
Despite the tragic outcome, Prof. Junhold remains optimistic that Yushka will benefit from her experience for future litters. Yushka's experience, despite the outcome, could contribute to the species' survival with natural rearing.
The International Tiger Studbook, which Leipzig Zoo has been maintaining since the 1970s, focuses on populations of Amur tigers in human care. The scientific goal of appropriate wildlife husbandry is a commitment shared by Leipzig Zoo and the zoo community.
However, animal rights activists have criticized the zoo, filing complaints about the euthanasia and questioning the ethics of breeding Amur tigers in captivity, as Amur tigers are critically endangered.
[1] Leipzig Zoo Press Release, 2022. [2] Berliner Morgenpost, 2022. [3] Der Spiegel, 2022. [4] PETA Germany, 2022.
- The scientific goal of Leipzig Zoo's wildlife husbandry is to ensure natural behavior for Amur tigers, incorporating family health and mental health aspects for the wellbeing of the animals, especially in reproductive processes.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, the zoo's focus extends beyond just the physical health of its Amur tigers, encompassing parenting and mental health aspects, as evidenced by their commitment to maintaining a natural rearing environment.
- Despite the tragic incident involving the newborn cubs, the discussion about animal welfare in captivity continues, with parenting, family health, and mental health being crucial considerations for animals like Amur tigers, which are critically endangered.
