Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon and Rosamond Gifford Zoo Director Ted Fox announced a new arrival to the zoo – a 9-year-old male Amur tiger named Thimbu (pronounced “Tim-boo”).
Thimbu came to Syracuse from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs on December 4 as part of the Species Survival Plan for Amur tigers, which are critically endangered in their native Far East Russia. Thimbu will be joined by a female early next year in hopes of producing cubs to increase the Amur tiger population, Fox said.
The zoo lost both of its elderly Amur tigers, male Toma and female Tatiana, this past fall. The pair produced triplet cubs at the zoo in 2011 and were both almost 20 years old.
As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is approved to participate in the Amur tiger SSP and expressed interest in continuing that role, Fox said.
“Prior to the passing of Toma and Tatiana, we were in conversation with the Amur tiger SSP to request a breeding pair of Amur tigers, and that is how Thimbu came to us,” Fox said. “We will be welcoming a female to introduce him to in the near future.”
County Executive Ryan McMahon was on hand to introduce the new tiger into the Amur tiger exhibit on the zoo’s Wildlife Trail.
“I am thrilled to be here to welcome this amazing animal and acknowledge the important role of our zoo in working to save his species,” McMahon said. “Once again, our zoo is entrusted with an animal and a mission that few other zoos are able to take on.”
Of 239 zoos and aquariums accredited by AZA, about 23 are approved to care for and breed Amur tigers.
Once called Siberian tigers, Amur tiger numbers and their range has shrunk to the Far East part of Asia along the Amur River. Fewer than 500 individuals remain in the wild.
Thimbu was one of quadruplet cubs born at the Denver Zoo in 2010. He lived there with his brother Nikolai until last year, when he moved to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Keepers there quickly fell in love with Thimbu, but a recommendation for him to participate in the SSP brought him to Syracuse.
“Thimbu’s keepers and fans throughout Colorado will miss seeing him at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – but we know his relocation is an important move for the survival of Amur tigers,” CM Zoo said in a blog post.
Here are some fun facts about Thimbu from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo:
Thimbu’s nickname is “Thim” and he’s a big boy, weighing about 450 pounds.
His distinctive markings include a freckled nose and charcoal-gray coloring near the tip of his tail.
He is known for rolling around on his back like a cub and vocalizations that sound like moaning and “huffing” rather than the usual tiger “chuff.”
He loves scents including Prada perfume and the smell of fresh-brewed coffee.
Thimbu can be seen at the Amur tiger exhibit from now on. Stay tuned for updates on the zoo’s Facebook at www.facebook.com/syracusezoo.
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is Syracuse’s accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), the gold standard for animal care, wildlife conservation and guest experience. Visit the zoo’s events website at www.syracusezooevents.org.