Young Siberian Tiger

This is Vitali, the young Siberian Tiger that was born at the Calgary Zoo on March 21 2007 at 11:30 p.m. to a mother who previously delivered a litter of four tigers in 2000.

Amur, or Siberian, tigers are part of a species survival program, so every birth is significant.

The attention, coupled with a lack of interference from zoo staff, helped with the bonding and mothering.

11-year-old Kita, an experienced mother, has taken very good care of her cub. The father is another of the facility’s tigers, Lashka.

There was no competition for milk from a litter mate, so this young tiger thrived well.

Later note added on 14 June 2012:
Tigers that used to be known as Siberian Tigers are now known as Amur Tigers. The name change is because their range now only includes the Amur Valley in Eastern Siberia.