Seoul Zoo's Siberian tiger 'Sarang' moves to US for breeding program

Seoul Grand Park announced that its female Siberian tiger, 'Sarang,' has been transferred to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, USA. This move is part of an international species conservation program aimed at securing genetic diversity and preserving the endangered Siberian tiger.

The transfer follows guidelines from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and the Species Survival Plan of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Sarang, born in April 2022, is a Siberian tiger listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Fewer than 500 wild Siberian tigers are estimated to remain.

The Columbus Zoo currently houses two male Siberian tigers. After a quarantine and adaptation period, Sarang is expected to join their breeding program. Seoul Grand Park has been involved in Siberian tiger conservation since 2019, with another female tiger, 'Hanla,' successfully breeding multiple times after her transfer to Japan's Nishimuro Adventure World.