SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Zoo has a new big cat to introduce to the Alamo City.
Jeda, a 3-year-old, 260-pound tiger, will soon enjoy his new surrounding at the Big Cat Valley, zoo officials said in a news release on Tuesday.
Recommended Videos
They said he was first introduced to the public on Monday but first arrived in February, coming from an accredited zoo in Florida as part of the Species Survival Plan.
Upon his arrival, he was placed in a 30-day quarantine where his health was monitored by staff.
The plan is to now breed him with the zoo’s female tiger, The Royal Ja’Malle, officials said.
“We are very excited about Jeda’s arrival,” Tim Morrow, the zoo’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “We look forward to our guests seeing and learning more about him in the days and years to come.
“We are very proud of our role in the species survival plan for these beautiful animals. It is my sincere hope that in the coming weeks and months, the tigers will get to know each other and eventually contribute to the survival of this species through successful breeding.”
Zoo officials said tigers’ populations are threatened by the loss of habitat, poaching and other factors, and they occupy less than 7% of the original range.
The year 2013 was the last time the zoo had tiger cubs.
Read also: