Bakso, an adorable 5-month-old Sumatran tiger cub, can now be seen by Animal Kingdom park guests.
Bakso was born on Sept. 26, 2024, to 13-year-old mom Sohni and 12-year-old dad Conrad, who both also live on the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Asia at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
“From his very first check-up to his adventures with mom — he has grown up before our eyes,” a Disney spokesperson said.
Bakso’s birth at Animal Kingdom was a major success for the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to protect endangered species through responsible breeding efforts. His arrival has been celebrated as part of Disney’s broader conservation efforts, which include ongoing work with the Disney Conservation Fund to protect tigers in the wild.
They face threats of poaching, habitat loss and disease. In Indonesia, much of their habitats are being converted to agricultural land for oil palm plantations. This isolated wild tiger populations leaving them prone to poachers and increase inbreeding due to the reduced gene pool of possible mates, according to the WildCats Conservation Alliance.
Over the years, Disney has worked with experts across the world to help increase populations of endangered and threatened species.
