London Zoo visitors get first glimpse of endangered Sumatran tiger cubs

Tap above to watch video report by Helen Keenan

ITV News has been given a first look at three very small and very shy tiger cubs at London Zoo.

The tiny trio are critically endangered Sumatran tigers and are crucial in the survival of the species.

The siblings were born at the end of June to a very protective mother and now they're learning to play.

The Sumatran tiger, whose habitat is the forests and jungles of Sumatra, Indonesia, are now classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals.

There were estimated to be 1,000 Sumatran tigers in the wild in the 1970s but today’s figures show that there are just 300 left.

This means the species faces the very real threat of extinction within the next decade if numbers continue to decline.

Zookeepers have been monitoring the three cubs since their birth to make sure they hit their key developmental milestones.

Tiger keeper Kathryn Sanders said: “We’re delighted that visitors are now able to see the stripy cubs, and we’re looking forward to watching as they continue to grow stronger and more inquisitive over the coming months.”

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