Rare Tiger Born at San Francisco Zoo
A Sumatran tiger named “Leanne” is shown sleeping beside her newborn cub at the San Francisco Zoo. The cub was born this past weekend. REUTERS/San Francisco Zoo/HandoutRare tiger born in San Francisco Zoo is the first since 2008. Such zoo births are rare, and there are few as 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild. This cub was born to a 9-year-old tiger, named Leanne.
A Sumatran tiger gave birth to an apparently healthy cub at the San Francisco Zoo over the weekend in a rare boost to the critically endangered subspecies, zookeepers said on Thursday.
There are estimated to be as few as 400 Sumatran tigers in the wild, and zookeepers were monitoring the pair in the zoo’s secluded Lion House via webcam to allow the 9-year-old mother, named Leanne, and baby to bond with little human interference.
“All signs seem to be positive so far,” said Corinne MacDonald, San Francisco Zoo curator of carnivores and primates.




