Jillian Gets a Mate! - Meet the Zoo's New Sumatran Tiger Teddy!

Sadly a couple weeks ago our precious big handsome guy Bronevik (Amur Tiger) has left the Zoo.  I love this guy and sad he's not here.  I sure will miss him!  Very sad when I learned he was leaving.  Thankfully the Universe was good to me and the best case scenario happened, he has moved to the Omaha Zoo, which is one of my friends home Zoo!  So, I will get updates on him, and how he and his new lady like each other.  Babie Bronies are in the future!

Last year after Jillian (Sumatran Tiger) came back home to SFZoo, I had some thoughts.  Thinking to the future of our Sumatran Tigers, as well our Lions,  the logical thing for them to do was to keep Jillian and Jasiri (3 yr old Lion) here.  Both sets of Parents are considered Seniors,  Tigers - Skylar/Leanne (16 in July  ) and Taymor/Larry  (*13 in November)  Lions - Sukari (17 in June) and  Jahari (16 this month)   Keeping their offspring at this point, and bringing in mates for them in the future seemed like a probable plan.  There wasn't enough space for all that right now, and then the sad news about Bronevik leaving came.  

In the early days of Jillian's return, I asked about this idea, in reference to her, and only got, I don't knows.  Well, half of my thought has come to fruition and the Zoo recently acquired a male Sumatran for Jillian.  

Jillian's new boyfriend's name is Teddy.  He sure is handsome!  

Screencap from San Diego Zoo

Teddy was born April 22, 2004 at Fort Wayne Zoo.  At almost 15 years old, I feel bad that as what is considered senior age, he was transferred out of San Diego.  SDZoo should have been his retirement home.  Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to getting to know him, but I just don't think Seniors should be a part of the breeding program, which make them eligible for alleged mandatory transfer, if the AZA/SSP recommends it.  SFZoo better be his forever home. 

That said, I had hoped with this development (a mate for Jillian) the AZA/SSP would stop allegedly (what I last heard, almost a yr ago) forcing the SFZoo to breed Jillian's Parents, Skylar and Taymor.  For one, as noted above, Sky is almost 16, and although at *12 yrs old, Taymor is still borderline to be considered senior, he has had previous health issues and keeping him here and happy should be the priority.   These two both warm my heart and have broken it.  When they were mating before Jillian was conceived, they really seemed to enjoy each other.  Then, Skylar got pregnant and they were separated.  Pregnancy time, plus the four years Jillian remained here with Mama, equaled near five years that Skylar and Taymor remained apart.  When Jillian left to Sacramento Zoo, they were put back together and have been together the two years since.  These two really enjoy each other, and shouldn't be separated ever again.

Here is a recent video I took of them, I call it the Courting Dance.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=60n71QxcnBY

Unfortunately, as I understand it, the AZA/SSP guidelines dictate housing specifics.  In the case of Sumatran Tigers, they are housed separately unless they are an active breeding pair.  So if the Zoo decided to not breed them, and let them continue to live together outside of that breeding recommendation, I don't know what that would mean for either of them or the Zoo.  Would the AZA/SSP allow them to stay here and be housed together?  Or would the AZA/SSP then transfer them to other Zoos?  Do they threaten revoking accreditation if the doesn't want to comply?  

I certainly hope Skylar and Taymor can exit the breeding program, and be allowed to retire here together.   They should put Skylar on birth control if possible, to ensure this.  Separating these two again at this stage of their life would be cruel. 

In my opinion, as Zoo goers we are force fed what Animal behavior in the wild is.  And while it is great to learn about the Animals natural instincts, these Animals are not in the wild and their housing should not be dictated by a "parent" organizations generalized guidelines, but by the individual Animals behaviors and needs.  The priority should be what works best for them. 

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