New tiger habitat opens at West Midlands Safari Park
For the first time in its 49-year history, visitors will be able to see the Park’s Sumatran tigers up close
The new habitat has been created for eight-year-old male, Nakal and ten-year-old female, Dourga, who only arrived at the Park in August.
The pair took their first steps into their new habitat, being watched eagerly by their keepers from one of the new public viewing areas.
Tiger Tropics is accessible from the Park’s Adventure Theme Park area and guests can view the tigers from two points, through glass.
The new habitat has been designed to be enriching and encourage as many natural behaviours as possible. It includes scratching posts, exploration areas, vantage points, feeding points, two pools, heat pads and the planting in the habitat is a mix of tropical and native species, including bamboo.
Head Keeper of Carnivores, Chris Hodgkins, said, “A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to ensure a safe and happy move for our tigers to their new home. Following Dourga’s arrival our first steps were to introduce her to her new companion, Nakal.
"This involved allowing them to meet through mesh and take turns going into each other’s areas, to sniff each other’s scents. This went better than we could have hoped for, and they have been seen ‘chuffing’ at each other and lying close together."
He continued, “When we opened the doors to their new outdoor habitat, both went straight out, in opposite directions, eager to explore and scent-marking as they went. Dourga especially showed signs of loving her new home and started to become very playful, hiding behind the foliage and stalking an unaware Nakal!
“The new environment is not only fantastic for our tigers but will give all our guests an amazing and unforgettable experience in an immersive environment. We can’t wait to open it on Saturday and see their reactions as they come nose-to-nose with our beautiful cats.”
It is estimated that there are fewer than 4,000 tigers left in the wild and only 400 of those are Sumatran tigers, gaining them their ‘critically endangered’ status from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
The Park hopes that the new tiger development shows the commitment it has to building a lasting legacy for these animals.
Tigers can still be seen on the Park’s four-mile safari, including female Sumatran tiger, Hujan and white tigers Ben and Buster.