Singapore tiger heads to Taipei for love

One of the three Malayan tigers at Rainforest Wild Asia will be transferred to Taipei Zoo to be paired with a young female tiger there.

This follows the arrival of a five-year-old female Malayan tiger from the Taipei Zoo at Mandai on Feb 26 as a potential mate for a male Malayan tiger here.

The "exchange programme" is part of collaborative efforts within the international zoo network to help establish a sustainable population of the critically endangered Malayan tiger in human care.

The four-year-old male tiger will be transferred to Taipei Zoo by June, Mandai Wildlife Group told The Straits Times. It is unknown how long he will be there for.

He is one of two tiger brothers residing at Singapore's newest park.

Before he goes over, he will be quarantined and examined to ensure that he is fit to travel. A crate will also be custom-made for him for the journey.

The animal care team will use food rewards to condition him to enter the crate voluntarily and get used to it.

"This consistent training will aid the keepers in the transfer of the animal, making it as stress-free as possible on the day of the flight departure," said Ms Cecilia Tang, curator for animal care at Mandai Wildlife Group.

While it is up to the male tiger to earn his stripes to win the feline over at the Taipei Zoo, their genetic diversity profile as well as their ages were taken into consideration for this exchange, to ensure that they are a good match.

According to conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature, there are fewer than 150 Malayan tigers in the wild.

Mandai said that since 1994, it has been actively participating in international zoo collaborative programmes to support the genetic diversity and conservation of Malayan tigers.

As for the female Malayan tiger from Taipei Zoo, she recently completed the mandatory 30-day quarantine.

She will then be acclimatised to the new environment at a back-of-house support facility before being gradually introduced to the tiger habitat at Rainforest Wild Asia.

"Throughout this process, we prioritise working with the animals at their own pace, ensuring that they feel comfortable and secure every step of the way," said Ms Tang.

"This gradual approach helps to minimise stress and supports her well-being as she settles into her new home."

Ms Tang added that the physical introduction of tigers is carefully timed with the female's reproductive cycle, as she is most receptive to male tigers during this period.

Tigers are solitary animals in the wild and typically come together only for mating or during the rearing phase with their young.

Introducing tigers outside of their natural reproductive cycles can be stressful and potentially dangerous, as they may see each other as threats, said Ms Tang.

By timing the introduction to match their natural mating behaviours and cycles, the risk of aggression is reduced and safety is prioritised. This can help ensure that their introduction is done under a more controlled and natural condition, and create better chances of breeding.

The initial stage of the introduction will take place in their off-exhibit dens, with Mandai closely monitoring how the two interact and bond.

If sparks fly and the tigers show signs of being comfortable in each other's presence, Mandai may let them have access to the habitat together during the mating period.

But outside of this period, the female tiger will not be in the habitat with the male tiger at the same time. Instead, they will take turns to have access to the habitat to ensure that they have alone time in the space.

Both transfers are a tripartite collaboration between Mandai Wildlife Group, Taipei Zoo and Species Survival Plan. The Species Survival Plan programme was developed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to manage ex situ populations of threatened or endangered species through efforts among AZA-accredited zoos, aquariums and partners, to ensure their survival.

"We will continue to work closely with our counterparts to monitor the tigers' well-being and breeding progress," said Mandai.

Mandai said many modern zoos today are part of international zoo collaborative programmes to breed species for population sustainability and ex situ conservation, which involves protecting animals and plants outside their natural habitat, such as in zoos.

These programmes are coordinated internationally through organisations such as the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, Southeast Asian Zoos and Aquariums Association and AZA.

The programmes focus on managing and protecting threatened species, like the Malayan tigers, by carefully coordinating and managing breeding in zoos to keep the populations healthy and genetically diverse.

Ms Tang said: "While each programme has regional priorities, they all contribute to global wildlife conservation and ensure the survival of species in human care through coordinated management, breeding, and education."

Breeding recommendations are usually made based on the physiological state of the animal and its genetic representation within the broader species population, said Mandai.

By analysing detailed records kept through a studbook, programme coordinators can find the best matches for breeding and maintain a diverse mix of genetic pools without the need to take animals from the wild.

A studbook is essentially a genealogy record of individual animals, including their health and breeding history, to help ensure genetic diversity and the long-term health of a species. Such data helps prevent inbreeding, to ensure the genetic health of the animal's population.

Without diversity, animal populations - in human care or in the wild - become more vulnerable to genetic disorders, disease outbreaks and reduced fertility. It also limits their ability to cope with changes in their environment.

Breeding plans, which are part of Mandai's efforts in conservation, have borne fruit.

For example, a Philippine spotted deer - one of the world's rarest deer - was born at Mandai on Feb 16, marking the first birth of this species here.

The deer, found in the wild on the Visayan islands of the Philippines, is endangered.

Mandai received two adults from the same zoo in the Philippines in June 2024.

The animals were housed together and mated naturally soon after, as Mandai had hoped, in line with its plan to increase the population under its care. The fawn was likely to have been conceived in that period, it added.

Mandai welcomed 998 baby animals across its parks in 2024 - the highest number of babies the wildlife parks have collectively produced in the past decade. Among the new additions are 34 globally threatened species - meaning that they are at risk of extinction - such as the proboscis monkey.

Ms Tang said: "Breeding efforts like this are vital for ensuring the long-term survival of species.

"Programmes like the exchange of tigers focus on selecting genetically diverse pairs to support species resilience. This ensures that populations remain healthy and adaptable not only for their survival in human care, but also for possible reintroduction into the wild in the future for some species."