A tiger has arrived at a Kent wildlife park to help bolster its breeding programme for the critically endangered species.
Keepers at Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury have announced male Nakal, aged 11, has joined the ranks at the park.
The Sumatran tiger has arrived from West Midlands Safari Park in Worcestershire and his transfer is part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Ex-Situ Programme (EEP).
The scheme aims to protect more than 500 endangered animals living in European zoos.
Bosses believe Nakal will be a potential breeding match for its other resident female, Tipah.
Howletts’s animal director Simon Jeffery says he is hopeful visitors will be able to see the birth of some cubs in the future.
He said: “We’re incredibly pleased to welcome Nakal to Howletts.
“As a genetically valuable male, he represents a promising future for our conservation breeding efforts.
“While introductions between tigers must always be approached with care, we are hopeful that Nakal and Tipah will be a good match and, in time, may go on to produce cubs.”
Nakal is also the older brother of Achilles, who arrived at Howletts from ZSL London Zoo in 2018.
Sumatran tigers are the smallest and darkest of all the species, often weighing between 110kg and 140kg.
However, they are deemed critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with about 500 estimated to be left in the wild.
Native to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, the tigers are under threat from rapidly expanding deforestation and forest degradation.
Nakal’s arrival also comes ahead of International Tiger Day on Tuesday, July 29, which aims to raise awareness and support for the conservation of the big cats.
