Tiger turns out to be mother of triplets
SAN FRANCISCO (UPI) -- Keepers at the San Francisco Zoo did not realize a tigress was the mother of triplets for several days after she gave birth.
Leanne, a Sumatran tiger, gave birth March 6. At the time, keepers thought she had produced only one cub.
About two days later, one keeper began to suspect Leanne had had a multiple birth, The Oakland Tribune reported. Because the tigress had licked a monitor camera, keepers had limited ability to track what was going on and could not count the cubs until Leanne decided to get up for a drink of water.
Paul Garcia, a zoo spokesman, said that Leanne and her offspring will be left alone for a few days. Keepers, not wanting to mess with a 230-pound new mother, will wait until she is busy getting food and water before removing the cubs for an initial medical checkup.
The births are good news for the zoo, which has been under fire since a Siberian tiger escaped on Christmas Day. The tiger killed a teenage visitor and mauled his two friends before a police officer shot it dead.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
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