Zoo sets up 'kindergarten' for baby tigers in N. China

World
Europe

The Taiyuan Zoo in the capital city of north China's Shanxi Province has recently set up a "kindergarten" to take care of six white tiger babies born in the past six months. The Taiyuan Zoo started to have a baby boom of white tigers since the mid of this year.

But unfortunately, these baby tigers were deserted by their mothers, who have been living in captivity and bred by zookeepers. They didn't know how to take care of their babies. Therefore, a zookeeper, Mr. Ren took the job and set up a kindergarten to take care of the increasing number of white tiger babies.

The zookeeper has to get up a couple of times during the night to feed the baby tigers. /VCG Photo

The youngest four baby tigers are around two-month-old while the eldest one is already six-month-old, and the other one is around four-month-old. Among the four youngest baby tigers, three are triplets. They are arranged in three different "classes" according to their age.

Raising these little tigers since they were born is not easy. In the first half month, Mr. Ren had to feed them milk 8 times a day with a three hours interval. The milk is a kind of animal formula providing many necessary nutrients including calcium and various kinds of vitamins.

The milk is a special kind of formula for baby animals. /VCG Photo

After two weeks, he fed them 6 times per day. And after 45 days, he continued to feed them 4 times a day and also began to give them some minced meat.

The baby tigers now can only recognize their "mother and father" Mr. Ren./VCG Photo

After several months, the baby white tigers have become quite close to their "mother and father" Mr. Ren.

"Now they only recognize me. The four youngest baby tigers can still play with strangers while the other two elder ones have already become alert and aggressive towards people they are not familiar with," said Mr.Ren.