She’s settling in well.

Fota Wildlife Park has announced the arrival of a new female Sumatran tiger as part of a European Endangered Breeding Programme.

The critically endangered Sumatran tiger named Jambi, recently arrived from Heidelberg Zoo, Germany, after a transition period when she settled into her new habitat in the Asian Sanctuary.

The Sumatran tiger is one of the rarest subspecies of tigers in the world. It is estimated that fewer than 350 individuals remain in the wild and therefore, every Sumatran tiger born in zoological parks is so important to maintain an insurance population in case the Sumatran tiger becomes extinct in the wild.

Fota received its first Sumatran tigers, a male Denar and a female Dourga in 2014. This pair produced two offspring, a female Dharma in May 2017 and a male, Dash in June 2019.

To avoid inbreeding and to maintain as much genetic diversity in the EEP breeding programme as possible, the tigers are often moved between zoological parks to breed with different mates. When Jambi arrived on February 21st as part of an EEP breeding programme move, it also saw Fota’s male tiger Denar transferred to Cottbus Zoo in Germany on the same day to breed with a female Sumatran tiger at Cottbus Zoo.

“Introducing a new tiger to the current streak is a very specialised process that requires a high degree of training and husbandry.” said Julien Fonteneau, Lead Ranger.

“At first, the new tiger must be allowed to acquaint itself with their new environment. Jambi was quiet for the first few days, but she is now a lot more confident, and we have started tong feeding her and doing some basic training.

“We introduce the tigers through the mesh during this stage, and the three are getting on well.”

Fota Wildlife Park will celebrate turning 40 in June and is set to announce a programme of live events across the season, including feeding times which have recommenced and are available daily throughout the Park this Saint Patrick’s weekend.

The Park is open daily from 9.30am.