Tugar - Siberian/Amur Tiger

Tugar is very friendly and affectionate, but can be very cheeky and likes to spray people! He loves running along side his enclosure with children.

Tugar was hand raised by his keepers and is a true gentle giant, weighing approximately 33 stone.  He is part of an international breeding program to save this endangered species. Tugar's mate arrived with us on July 2005, she is called Ingrid Alexandra after the Princess of Norway.  Ingrid was just 18 months old when she arrived and was a little scared of Tugar because he is so big, but since she has learnt how gentle he is they have got on well together. They became the proud parents of two lovely girls called Sinda and Bira last year. Tigers are generally solitary animals but the cubs will spend their first two years with their mother. In the wild they would occasionally meet up with their father and share kills. Unlike many zoos, Port Lympne and Howletts leave the male together with his mate throughout the birth and rearing of the cubs. Sinda and Bira spend their days fighting and pouncing on mum Ingrid's tail. Meanwhile Tugar keeps a watchful eye on them from his favourite spot on the top of his shed! The two girls are due to leave Port Lympne soon to start their new lives in Knowsley Safari Park.