Ok, so I’m a sucker for animals. How could you not be when you see a photo like this? Featured is an endangered Amur tiger by the name of Sungari, who is the proud mother of two cubs (male and female), born on the 7th of October at the Buffalo Zoo. This may not seem like breaking news to some, but when you think about the state of the Amur tiger, then this IS big news. The tigers, formerly known as Siberian tigers, are no longer even found in Siberia (news to me). The animals can now only be found, living in the wild, along the Amur River in Russia. When I first read that the tigers were on the endangered list, it did not register just how endangered they actually were. Then I read that there are an estimated 350 to 450 of them living in the wild. And zero to be found in Siberia?
It’s times like these that I’m glad to have the Buffalo Zoo. I can honestly say that I was saddened to hear that the zoo was not moving to a bigger home on the waterfront a few years ago. I felt (and still feel) that the animals need more space to roam. I also think that the current zoo would have made an incredible people park… like Artpark. But that didn’t happen and The Zoo really has no place to spread its wings in its current location. When I hear that Buffalo is the proud new parent of such magnificent creatures, it make me proud to know that we are doing our part to raise awareness for endangered animals such as the Amur Tiger. I just hope that as our city begins to prosper we share that good fortune with our friends at The Zoo.
Side note: The mother and the cubs will not be on display (that sounds so gallery-ish) for the next three months. Please support The Zoo by making a donation today.
Check out the animal’s wishlist:
Large KONG dog toys | Soft/moist dog treats | Small, medium and large rawhides (all flavors) | Plastic five-gallon buckets with lids | Peanut butter | Cereal (Cheerios, Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks, Raisin Bran) | Sugar free Kool-Aid | Honey | Gatorade | Marshmallow fluff | Animal crackers | Unsalted peanuts | Trail mix (without chocolate).
Or consider adopting an animal.
Or just volunteer your time.
Bill Zimmermann
Bill runs Seven Seas Sailing school, and is a staunch waterfront activist. He is also heavily involved with preserving, maintaining, and promoting the South Buffalo Lighthouse. When Bill first started writing for Buffalo Rising, he wrote an article a day for 365 days - each article coincided with a significant historic event that happened in Buffalo on that same day.