The New Tiger Exhibit

Recently opened in The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo is the Sumatran Tiger exhibit. The new state-of-the-art is one of the most fabulous at the zoo and was donated by Mr. Victor Cohen from the USA and another donor who asked to keep his name anonymous. Mr. Cohen, through the Jerusalem Foundation, donated the funds that enabled us to build the Tiger House and transport the tigers to Jerusalem.
We have two Sumatran tigers in the new exhibit – a male - "Avigdor" " that arrived from Wuppertal zoo in Germany and a female - "Chana" - from Ramat-Gan Safari. The new Tiger exhibit is the jewel of the crown! This is one of the most beautiful exhibits in the world! Come and see it at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo!

The Sumatran Tigers are threatened animals. Here you can learn more about tigers around the world!


Tigers of the world – the disappearing predator
A century ago, more than 100,000 tigers from eight sub-species lived in Asia and parts of Europe. Today, only an estimated 5,000 tigers live in the wild. 3 sub-species have become extinct: The Tiger from Bali, the Caspian tiger and the tiger of the island of Java.

Poachers
Tigers hunt their prey alone, apart from maturing cubs that join the mother on her hunting expeditions. The tiger ambushes its prey and depending on the size, may eat the prey continuously over a few days. A tiger can eat up to 18 kilos in one meal, and will then fast until its next successful hunt. The prey of tigers may include: species of deer, species of cattle, pigs and even monkeys, porcupines, big birds and fish.

A tiger is born
The pregnancy of a female tiger will last 103 days, giving birth to 2-3 cubs on average. The cubs are born blind and weigh one kilogram. They will nurse milk from their mother, and then eat meat that she presents to them and will eventually join her on hunting expeditions. After 18 months the cubs will start hunting on their own. They will stay in their mother’s territory for another 6-12 months (depending if the mother gives birth again) and will then leave to establish their own territory. Adult females tend to stay closer to the mother’s territory.

Territory
Tigers live in dense forests or areas with tall growing grass. Most live in hot climates, but some live in very cold climates such as Siberia. A tiger’s territory is established by food availability and will range from 13 km2 in areas were food is abundant, to 640 km2 in the sparse areas of East Asia. While a female’s territory is usually smaller than the male’s, a male’s territory can overlap with a few females’. Males may share the same roaming routes but not at the same time.
Both the male and female mark their territory by spraying urine and by rubbing A substance produced from a special odor gland. Claw marks on trees and on the ground are a visual way to mark the territory bounders.

The hunters are hunted
For many years, tigers were hunted for game. Their large size and the dense habitat in which they lived made the hunt a special challenge. From 1875 to 1925, 57,000 tigers were hunted in India alone, more than 10 times the number of tigers that live in the world today.
Today, very few tigers are hunted for game, but illegal poaching is still continuing in many areas where tiger body parts are used in the medicinal markets of East Asia. Farmers, protecting their sheep and cattle, also kill the tigers.

Illegal trade of tigers and tiger products
The illegal trade of endangered animals is one of the most profitable crimes in the world. Some estimate the profits to be equivalent to the drug trade and many people are involved in both… Light punishment, weak law enforcement and a general ignorance of this crime make the illegal trade of endangered animals and their products very attractive for criminal groups in the world. The illegal trade of tiger products is the tigers’ biggest threat today. Even though law in every country protects this species, and trading with them is illegal, in poor countries, the money factor will push poachers to break the law. Every year, officials confiscate large amounts of tiger products, but this is only a fragment of the products that make their way to the dealers and markets.