Tigers are among the world’s most rare and most beautiful animals. These spectacular big cats, which can grow up to 11 feet in length, were once found throughout the continent of Asia.
However, tiger populations worldwide have been dwindling for the past century, with fewer than 4,000 of these magnificent creatures still left in the wild as a as a result of disappearing habitats, poaching, and even attempts to keep these wild creatures as pets, as we saw with sweet cubs Carly and Lily.
Now, conservation efforts are underway in zoos and wildlife preserves across the globe, giving these stunning animals new homes. They may even have the opportunity to make a few unusual friends, like this adorable trio of predators.
Giles Clark is one of the specialists participating in tiger conservation, hand-raising two Sumatran Tiger cubs, Spot and Stripe. There are only around 600 members of the Sumatran species living in the wild, so Spot and Stripe are vital to the continuation of their species.
With that in mind, he’s helping both babies learn to follow their instincts, guiding them toward important life skills that they would develop naturally in the wild. One of those skills is swimming. Tigers in the wild love the water, and will often swim rivers and even small stretches of ocean!
Spot takes to it immediately, jumping into the pool like a duck to water (albeit a furry orange duck). Stripe, on the other hand, is a little bit nervous about the whole situation. But once he gets Giles as a swimming buddy, things start looking up!
If these adorable tiger cubs made your week with their scaredy-cat antics, please SHARE on Facebook for everyone who wants to learn more about these beautiful, rare creatures!
