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Kemala was born at Parken Zoo in Sweden as part of a litter of four cubs.
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This is her first time living away from her family, and although reserved, she slowly settling into her peaceful new home in the countryside.
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She is often found relaxing inside her cave.
The Big Cat Sanctuary is delighted to introduce a new arrival: Kemala, a two-year-old Sumatran tiger!
Kemala joined the Sanctuary on Thursday 23rd October from Parken Zoo in Sweden, where she was born on the 3rd June 2023. She will be spending some time with us here in the peaceful Kent countryside, where she can settle in and enjoy her new surroundings before moving on to take part in an important breeding programme in the future.
Kemala is part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), which works with zoos and sanctuaries across Europe to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population of Sumatran tigers. In time, she will move on to take part in an important breeding programme to support the future of her species.
The Sumatran tiger, native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is easily recognised by its dark orange coat and thin, closely spaced stripes, which are unique to each individual. Males often have a distinctive white ruff around their face. It is the only surviving subspecies of the former “Sunda Island” tigers, as the Javan and Bali tigers are now extinct.
These tigers prefer undisturbed forest habitats with dense vegetation, high elevation, and nearby water, avoiding heavily farmed areas like palm oil plantations. As apex predators, they hunt a variety of prey, including the Malayan tapir, and their declining numbers could negatively impact the balance of local ecosystems.
The main threat to the wild Sumatran tiger population is the increasing palm oil trade. The tigers need continual blocks of forest in which to thrive, as – being a solitary species – this is their only way of meeting breeding individuals. The traditional medicine trade is another problem that faces the wild population, with the demand for bones and body parts showing no signs of slowing down.