You can name this zoo’s Amur tiger cubs to support wildlife conservation

CLEVELAND (WOIO/Gray News) - The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Amur tiger cubs are ready for the world to see — and name.

The now 12-week-old, 25-pound cubs made their highly-anticipated public debut at the Rosebrough Tiger Passage at the zoo on Wednesday.

The boy and girl were born on Nov. 6 to mom Zoya and dad Hector.

They’ve already captured the hearts of animal lovers on the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s social media pages over the past three months.

But now you can help name the cubs while supporting wildlife conservation.

Through Feb. 12, a supporting donation will give you a vote to help name each of the cubs at FutureForWildlife.org/cubnaming.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo said that “all naming donations will help combat illegal wildlife trade, which has threatened the species towards extinction.”

The options to name the girl are Mila, Karina and Anoushka, while the options for the boy are Ivan, Boris and Sergei.

The winning names will be revealed on Valentine’s Day.

The zoo said the three options for the respective cubs are all culturally significant to the communities where wild Amur tigers live.

The tigers are considered an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Only a few hundred of them remain in their native regions on the far eastern side of Russia and northeastern China, the zoo said.

Both cubs have “reached several developmental milestones, including transitioning to a meat diet, gaining strength and agility, and spending time separated from mom,” the zoo said.

Visitors have the chance to see the cubs daily at the Rosebrough Tiger Passage, with mornings being the best time as they adjust to their new habitats.

Copyright 2024 WOIO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.