2 Rare Sumatran Tiger Cubs Born At The National Zoo:

[Are_grits_groceries]

The keepers knew that their Sumatran tigers had last mated in April. They knew the gestation period for tigers was just over 100 days. And they had been glued to the tiger webcam to see if they could catch the birth live.

On Friday, the Smithsonian National Zoo’s female Sumatran tiger, Damai, started to show signs of discomfort. Her appetite declined. On Sunday, she refused all food.

On Monday evening, keeper Kristen Clark Beatty summoned curator Craig Saffoe to the video feed in her office, saying, “You need to be watching the camera. There’s something really happening.”

There was. At 6:08 p.m., as the keepers watched, Damai delivered her first cub, followed at 8:24 by a second.

“It was a pretty powerful scene to watch,” Saffoe said. Sumatran tigers are listed as critically endangered: Only 400 to 500 exist in the wild. And there are only 65 in accredited zoos in North America.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/rare-sumatran-tiger-cubs-born-at-national-zoo/2013/08/08/758a961e-001b-11e3-96a8-d3b921c0924a_story.html

Big baby kittehs!

[okasha]

1. Congratulations to the parents

and the Smithsonian!

[dipsydoodle]

2. Sweet

Thanks for posting.

[KansDem]

3. I want to reach right down there and pet them!

Not really!

But they do look cute!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. It would be fun ... until Mom noticed.