HONOLULU — Last Friday evening, The Honolulu Zoo welcomed Satu, an 8-year-old male Sumatran tiger, from Miami, Fla. Satu weighs 229 lbs and previously lived at the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas. After a required 4-month quarantine, Satu will hopefully join 6-year-old female Anala (also a Sumatran) tiger.
Satu seems to be settling in already. It's reported that he enjoys enrichment activities, especially toys.
“We are very fortunate that the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan was able to identify Satu as a genetically suitable match for Anala, our female tiger, as getting the right fit is always a challenge,” said Linda Santos, the director of the Honolulu Zoo. “We are all very thrilled to welcome Satu and hope that he and Anala will become a compatible pair.”
The Honolulu Police Department assisted transporting Satu from Daniel K. Inouye International airport to the zoo.
The Sumatran tiger is one of the smallest species of tigers in the world and are noted for their heavy black stripes on their orange coat. They tend to be shy and tend to avoid people in the wild. Palm oil, coffee and acacia plantations have taken over much of their natural habitat.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List has listed the Sumatran tiger as critically endangered, with no more than 400 individuals believed to be remaining in its total population.
The Honolulu Zoo’s Aloha ‘Aina Conservation Fund has provided longtime support for conservation efforts of Sumatran tigers in the wild through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan Tiger Conservation Campaign.
To see Satu and Anala, find them at Honolulu Zoo’s Kapahulu Market concession, with Satu in the habitat closest to the children’s playground.
Nuy Cho is the executive producer of Spectrum News Hawaii. Read more of her stories here.