Arisa and Ussuri welcome three Siberian tiger cubs in Ljubljana

ZOO Ljubljana is celebrating the birth of three Siberian tiger cubs, born to parents Arisa and Ussuri in late May. These are the first cubs for the pair, who arrived at the Slovenian zoo in 2024 as part of an international program dedicated to conserving endangered animal species.

Arisa, a four-year-old female, comes from the Zamość Zoo in Poland, while Ussuri, a five-year-old male, arrived from the Kristiansand Zoo in Norway. Both tigers belong to the Siberian tiger subspecies, the largest of all tiger subspecies, which is classified as endangered in the wild.

According to ZOO Ljubljana, the mother, Arisa, is independently caring for the cubs, a behavior typical for tigers in their natural habitat. The newborns, weighing approximately one kilogram each at birth, will spend their first weeks in a den, entirely dependent on their mother's milk and care. Zoo staff are monitoring their development remotely via a camera installed in the den to ensure the animals have maximum peace.

To allow the public to observe the cubs without disturbing the family, a screen will be placed near the enclosure displaying footage from the den. The Siberian tiger is among the world's most endangered big cats, with estimates suggesting only around 500 individuals remain in the wild. Major threats include habitat loss, poaching, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change. ZOO Ljubljana views the birth of these cubs as a crucial contribution to the conservation efforts for this rare subspecies.

“

The Siberian tiger is one of the most endangered big cats in the world. According to conservationists, there are approximately 500 individuals living in the wild.