Normally, Malayan Tiger cubs stay with their mother for about 18 months learning how to hunt and survive on their own. But when one tiger gave birth at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, she wanted nothing to do with her babies and completely ignored them.
The three cubs were born on February 3, but staff at the zoo soon realized that they would have to intervene since the mother tiger was completely ignoring them. Since the cubs were born, the staff has been working around the clock to feed them and make sure they’re healthy, but there are still some things the babies need that humans can’t provide.
Tiger cubs need to learn how to act around other tigers and they need someone warm and furry to cuddle with, so the zoo introduced babies Chira, Batari, and Izzy to Blakely the Australian Shepherd and they instantly bonded. “He’s more than just a large, warm pillow for the cubs. Blakely is the adult in the room.”
“He teaches them proper tiger etiquette by checking them when they’re getting too rough or aggressive,” said Dawn Strasser, head of Cincinnati Zoo’s nursery staff. “This is something that their human surrogates can’t do.”
“My team can feed and care for the tiger cubs, but we can’t teach them the difference between a play bite and one that means ‘watch out’. So, that’s Blakely’s job,” said Strasser. “Just a little time with him at this early age will help them learn behaviors that will come in handy when they meet tigers at other zoos in the future.”
Watch the entire video below to see the how this dog has stepped up to be a parent for three baby tigers.
Can you believe the bond these tiger cubs have formed with a dog? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.
[Featured image: Mark Dumont/The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden]
Dog Adopts Tigers Cubs After Their Mother Ignored Them is an article from: LifeDaily