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Tiger Mountain E-News
Switching Stripes
Photo: D. DeMello/WCS
For the cats at Tiger Mountain, keepers have been hard at work adding even more interest and variety into the daily routine.
Guests who visited Tiger Mountain in the exhibit’s first year most likely encountered Norma and Alexis in Tiger Ridge, from the first viewing area, and then saw Zeff and Taurus in Tiger Valley, from the second pavilion. Towards the middle of last year, Sasha began spending time in Tiger Ridge, switching off with his mom and sister. (He was initially too shy to face zoo visitors when Tiger Mountain opened!) Keepers then had Norma and Alexis taking turns out in Tiger Valley, while Zeff and Taurus enjoyed the back yards. Sound a bit confusing? It’s all in a day’s work for the Tiger Mountain staff!
Why do we do this?
Variety and change are an important part of animal enrichment. The rotation of tigers among multiple yards at Tiger Mountain, including those on exhibit and those behind the scenes, has always been the goal. But just as it takes time for people to become comfortable and familiar in a new setting, animals, too, need an acclimation period to adjust and settle in. Getting the tigers to spend time in a new area is not always an easy task! These imposing cats have a shy side, so it takes patience and care to help them adjust to and enjoy a new environment. Keepers use a variety of enrichment items, such as a favorite toy or some well-placed treats, to help make the new experience positive and rewarding.
Spot the Stripes
With a less predictable routine for our cats, the exhibit is also a less predictable experience for our guests! Now that keepers can rotate the tigers around to each exhibit, how will people know which specific cat they are seeing?
Visitors can apply the same techniques and strategies that field scientists use to identify individual tigers. Each tiger wears its own unique stripe pattern. Photos of a cat’s left and right sides help researchers identify distinguishing characteristics. Bronx Zoo guests can examine the photos of all our tigers and read notes from the animal keepers that point out specific markings, to determine which Tiger Mountain resident they are observing.
The next time you are visiting Tiger Mountain, try to catch a glimpse of the tiger’s left side. Do you see…
- a bean-like shape on the back of the neck? (Zeff)
- three “forked” stripes? (Norma)
- three diamonds and a clear patch? (Sasha)
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