TACOMA, Wash.—It’s time to roaaaarrr! Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is celebrating its three endangered Sumatran tigers at the annual World Tiger Weekend event July 29 and July 30, with fun family activities that highlight how to protect tigers in the wild.
Point Defiance Zoo is home to three Sumatran tigers: sisters Kali, 10, and Indah, 9, and 12-year-old male Sanjiv. On both days, guests can talk with the keepers who care for the tigers, see the tigers enjoy enrichment toys, whipped cream, and meat shanks.
Keepers will give enrichments to different tigers all weekend in various Asian Forest Sanctuary habitats, including:
- Saturday at 9 a.m: tigers will enjoy watermelon enrichment
- Sunday at 9 a.m: tigers will enjoy whipped cream and “meat-sicles”
- Both days at 11 a.m.: meet the keepers who care for the tigers
- Both days at 2 p.m.: watch a tiger training session
- Both days: tigers will receive toy enrichments
Guests may even see the tigers enjoying a swim, especially if it’s a hot day!
Hands-on tiger activities from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. both days around the Asian Forest Sanctuary include:
- Biofact Table: Discover how a tiger’s fur, claws and teeth help it survive.
- Tiger Ears: Bring your creativity and make your own tiger ears to wear.
- Savvy Travelers: Discover how you can protect tigers and other wild animals while traveling.
- Sounds Like a Tiger: Learn how tigers can communicate through sounds.
- Spot Our Stripes: Identify the tiger based on its unique stripes.
Sumatran tigers are endangered in the wild, with only about 400 to 500 remaining on their native Indonesian island of Sumatra. The species faces intense pressure from habitat loss and fragmentation, black-market poaching, human-tiger conflict, and loss of prey.
Point Defiance Zoo is a national leader in conserving wild Sumatran tigers and other endangered species. Donations of more than $142,000 from The Zoo Society’s Dr. Holly Reed Wildlife Conservation Fund have helped support efforts to mitigate human-tiger conflict and to arrest and prosecute poachers in Sumatra.
“Sumatran tigers are beautiful, fascinating animals, but like all tigers, are endangered and at risk of going extinct,” said Asian Animal Curator Telena Welsh. “We hope this weekend of animal enrichments and fun activities inspires guests to take positive conservation actions to protect tigers in the wild.”
World Tiger Weekend is free with Zoo admission or membership.
For more information about the event, see pdza.org/world-tiger-weekend. To learn how to help tigers, visit pdza.org/save-tigers.
