- Title: ARGENTINA: SCHOOL CHILDREN BAPTIZE WHITE TIGER SEXTUPLETS BORN IN BUENOS AIRES
- Date: 7th April 2004
- Summary: (L!1) BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (APRIL 7, 2004) (REUTERS ) VARIOUS OF TIGER CUBS PLAYING MOTHER TIGER LICKING HER PAW VARIOUS OF CHILDREN WRITING NAMES ON PAPER AND PUTTING THEM IN URNS ZOO PERSONNEL READING THE CHOSEN NAME CHILDREN CLAPPING VARIOUS OF ZOO PERSONNEL PUTTING NAMES ON GIFTS IN THE TIGER CAGE VARIOUS OF TIGERS PLAYING WITH GIFTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LUCIA (5 YEARS OLD), GODMOTHER OF ONE TIGER CUB, SAYING: "I called the girl Luna and the boy Santiago." VARIOUS OF TIGER CUBS PLAYING MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CECILIA BOCCIONI, ZOO GUIDE, SAYING: "At some stage they will be separated from their mother because they are starting to grow bigger teeth and the time of suckling has to end. In the wild they are up to a year, more or less, with the mother. Then the same mother is going to teach them to hunt and is going to start to reject them so that they become independent. At this time we are going to separate them and we are going to exchange them with other zoos so that these animals reproduce and ensure the continuation of the species." MOTHER TIGER VARIOUS OF TIGER CUBS PLAYING
- Embargoed: 22nd April 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Environment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA64ZSAEAH18NKE6AQYRJQ69V6A
- Story Text: Schoolchildren baptize white tiger sextuplets born in Buenos Aires zoo.
For the first time in South America white tiger sextuplets have been born in a Buenos Aires zoo. The striking Bengal tiger cubs, who were born to a tiger named Bety, were baptized on Wednesday (April 7) with names suggested by Argentine children.
The names were drawn from a pool of suggestions by local children, with the winners chosen as godparents to the cubs. With their snow-white fur and piercing blue eyes, the cubs became instant celebrities, and have been inundated with presents since their arrival into the world.
According to zoo guide Cecilia Boccioni, the cubs will eventually be separated from their mother and exchanged with other zoos.
"We are going to separate them and we are going to exchange them with other zoos so that these animals reproduce and ensure the continuation of the species," said Boccioni. There are only about 500 white Bengal tigers in existence world wide, with approximately 40 purebred white tigers in captivity.
White tigers come from India and can live as long as 15 years in the wild and up to 18 years in captivity. They grow faster and are usually heavier than their more common orange counterparts. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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