Sumatran tiger Menkali will celebrate his 23rd birthday at the Hamilton Zoo on Tuesday, January 10.
Menkali is the second oldest Sumatran tiger on record. The average lifespan of a Sumatran tiger in the wild is about 12-14 years. In captivity, he can live into his late teens, rarely he can live into his early twenties.
The Sumatran tiger is listed as endangered with an estimated number of less than 400, mainly due to habitat destruction and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade.
Born at Wellington Zoo in 2000, Menkali was transferred to Hamilton Zoo with his brothers Xhaka and Molek at the age of 14 months as part of an Australian breeding program. The three were moved to dedicated new habitats and became the first tigers at the Hamilton Zoo.
Sam June, a carnivore keeper who is one of Menkali’s favorite humans, said that Menkali might be older and understandably slower than a young tiger, but she is still of her age. Has great agility.
When asked what Menkali enjoys, June said, “Like most cats, he spends most of his time laying down in the sun. I love blocks,” he said.
Shane Fox, Carnivore team lead, said Mencari is being evaluated every day.
“She’s old, but we recognize that age is not a disease, so we’re judging her based on her abilities and behavior as an individual.”
Hamilton Zoo director Dr. Baird Fleming said although he is in good health, Menkali has started to show his age in recent months.
“Her dedicated keepers keep a close eye on her with regular health and wellness checks by our veterinary team to make sure she is still happy and healthy,” Fleming said. said Dr.
“But we recognize that each birthday is even more special than the last.”
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