The Sumatran tiger cubs at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens we first told you about in November now have names.
Rocky is the larger of the two cubs, weighing close to 14 pounds. He is identifiable by a noticeable light-orange stripe on his back. The smaller boy has been named Jaggar.
Zoo supporters purchased the naming rights to the cubs. A donor’s grandchildren picked Jaggar’s name and the other donor had the students at the Tiger Academy of Jacksonville decide Rocky’s name.
The two males are growing well and appear to be in great health, according to the zoo.
During their six week exam on Friday the cubs received their vaccines protecting them from upper respiratory infections and feline distemper. The cubs were also microchipped with a transponder, which is just like the microchip used in pet dogs and cats.
Over the next two months, the cubs will receive two more rounds of vaccines that include boosters for the ones they received Friday and an additional rabies vaccination.
The zoo says the cubs need to grow bigger before they will be able to explore the outdoor habitat of the public viewing areas. Until then, a live-streaming video of the cubs is available:
The tiger cubs were born on November 20, 2017.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
