Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomes new Sumatran tiger
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay recently welcomed a new addition to its streak of tigers. “Bandar,” a critically endangered Sumatran tiger, joined Malayan and Bengal tigers Rukayah and Zahra in the park’s tiger habitat.
Photos courtesy of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Bandar is the first and only Sumatran tiger at the park after being transferred from Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Wash. His new home in Tampa is part of the park’s participation in the Species Survival Plan with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
“Watching Bandar settle into his new home is exciting and inspiring,” Jenny Mendoza, Vice President- Zoological for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, said in a release. “We are very thrilled to provide him with a home for him to thrive, share his story with our guests, and have our zoological facilities serve as a building block for the prosperous future of all tigers.”
Bandar is 9 years old and can now be seen in his new habitat in the Jungala area of Busch Gardens. The park also offers a Tiger Insider Tour to get a behind-the-scenes look at Bengal, Malayan, and Sumatran tigers and learn how to make a difference in protecting these animals in the wild.
Sumatran tigers are considered on the brink of extinction with less than 400 known to be left in the wild. These big cats are the smallest of tigers with their signature stripes set closer together than other types of tigers.
For more information about the park’s tigers and the more than 200 different species of animals at the Tampa theme park, visit BuschGardens.com.
