Endangered tiger gives birth to three cubs at Toronto Zoo

CTV National News: Earning their stripes Heather Butts has the story of a trio of newborn tiger cubs that have the Toronto Zoo roaring with excitement.

TORONTO — The Toronto Zoo says one of its endangered tigers has given birth to three cubs.

The zoo says Mazyria, an Amur tiger, gave birth overnight Friday after 104 days of pregnancy.

It says "Mazy" and her babies are doing well and are being monitored through remote cameras to allow them to bond undisturbed.

The zoo says the first few months of life are critical and, assuming everything goes well, the cubs will have their first checkup in six to eight weeks.

It says Mazy was paired with the male tiger Vasili as part of a program to promote conservation.

Amur tigers were previously considered critically endangered but their status was changed to endangered in 2007.

The zoo said fewer than 500 of the animals can be found in the wild, up from a low of 20-30 in the 1930s.

"This birth is an important contribution to a genetically healthy Amur tiger population," Dolf DeJong, the zoo's chief executive officer, said in a statement.

"Amur tigers are under increasing pressure due to habitat loss and illegal hunting. It is important to educate the public on their plight in the wild and do everything we can to mitigate the threats they face and halt declining populations."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2021.