The first Sumatran tiger cub born in seven years at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Bakso, can now be seen by guests on the Maharajah Jungle Trek.
Bakso Arrives at the Maharajah Jungle Trek
Born back in September 2024, Bakso can now be seen on the Maharajah Jungle Trek with his mom Sohni. Today, Wednesday, January 29, is his first day out and about in guest view.
The mom and son played together early this morning as the first guests to spot him arrived on the trail. The pair have bonded backstage for the past few months; tiger cubs need their mother’s care until they reach 18-24 months of age.
Until now, guests have been able to keep up with Bakso’s progress ahead of his trek debut thanks to “Tiger Tuesday TV,” a nine-episode live-stream offering from the Disney Parks Blog that offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the young cub’s many milestones.
“Tigers are in steep decline in the wild, so it is very special to welcome a new baby here at Disney, the first in seven years,” said Dr. Natalie back in October 2024, who was one of the veterinarians who monitored Sohni throughout her pregnancy. “Tiger births are rare in managed care and take a lot of planning and coordinating by our animal care team and the Species Survival Plan.”
There are less than 600 Sumatran tigers left in the wild and managed care, and are considered an “umbrella species,” meaning that conservation efforts to preserve them will extend to other species within their habitat.
Disney collaborates with experts from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Species Survival Plan to help boost endangered and threatened species. The Disney Conservation Fund has provided support to 15 organizations working to protect tigers and their habitats since 1995.
See baby Bakso and his mom in action in our video below:
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