The OKC Zoo and Botanical Garden sends this information as posted below:
The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden welcomed the birth of a Sumatran tiger cub born to mother Lola (14) and father Badar (7) on Monday, December 15, 2025 in the Zoo’s Cat Forest habitat. Lola and her little one are spending time together behind the scenes at Cat Forest.
Caretakers have observed the cub nursing regularly, a positive indicator that the cub is thriving and the two are bonding. The infant tiger will undergo a neonatal exam after about a month, during which the Zoo’s veterinary care team will conduct a physical and determine the cub’s sex. Mom and cub will remain off public view until the cub is big enough to navigate the outdoor tiger habitat safely. The Zoo will share updates on its tiger family on its socials.
“This marks Lola’s third—and likely final—litter here at the Oklahoma City Zoo, making it especially meaningful for our team,” said Tyler Boyd, OKC Zoo’s Curator of Carnivores. “With fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers remaining in the wild, every successful pregnancy represents hope for this critically endangered species.”
The OKC Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP) for Sumatran tigers which made the recommendation for Lola and Badar to breed. The Zoo is committed to helping protect Sumatran tigers and sustain their population through its participation in the AZA’s SSP Sumatran tiger program.
“Lola has consistently proven to be an attentive and capable mother, and our animal care and veterinary teams have worked closely together throughout her pregnancy to support her health and the wellbeing of her cub,” said Boyd.
In 2011, Lola and her three siblings were the first litter of Sumatran tigers born at the OKC Zoo. She gave birth to male triplets, her first litter, in 2017. That same year, an Amur tiger cub named Zoya was born at the Philadelphia Zoo. When her mother would not raise the cub, the OKC Zoo worked with the AZA on a solution—the first cross-fostering of different tiger species in AZA history. After Zoya was rubbed in the scent of her other offspring, Lola accepted her as her own, including nursing her. In 2019, Zoya moved to the Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot, North Dakota on an SSP breeding recommendation. Since then, Zoya has had two litters of cubs. Zoya’s story was made into a children’s picture book, A Family for Zoya: The True Story of an Endangered Cub by Debra Kim Wolf. Lola’s second litter, one male and one female, were born in 2022. Lola’s cubs have gone on to perpetuate the species by having their own cubs at other AZA zoos.
“What an amazing gift for Oklahoma City and the Sumatran tiger species, and just in time for the holidays,” said Dr. Dwight Lawson, OKC Zoo’s Executive Director and CEO. “We hope this birth delights and inspires our guests to take conservation action in their own lives to aid us in preserving wildlife and wild places around the globe.”
Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, with population estimates between 300 and 400 of the animals alive in the wild. They face challenges in the wild, including poaching, illegal animal trading, and habitat loss, predominantly for oil palm plantations, in their native Indonesia. The OKC Zoo is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which unites stakeholders from the palm oil industry to develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil. Ensure that you’re only buying products made with RSPO-certified palm oil by downloading the PalmOil Scan app, available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Sumatran tigers have a short gestation period, between 100 to 110 days. They are the smallest and most darkly colored tiger subspecies.
Do your part to help tigers with these unique gift ideas from the OKC Zoo:
- Donate to The Cub Club: Make a year-end gift with a roar-ing impact. By giving to the Cub Club before December 31, you support the OKC Zoo and provide expert care for the new Sumatran tiger cub. All Cub Club donors receive exclusive cub-dates for the cub’s first year of life, and gifts of $100 or more are entered to win an exclusive keeper chat and cub viewing.
- Purchase a copy of A Family for Zoya. Read all about the remarkable journey of endangered Amur tiger Zoya in the book A Family for Zoya which highlights the profound bonds that unite all creatures and underscores the vital importance of conservation efforts. When you purchase A Family for Zoya, 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Tiger Conservation Campaign! Get your copy at the OKC Zoo’s Safari Gifts and pick up a plush tiger to complete this wild gift set for $40 through Sunday, February 1, 2026. Safari Gifts is open during regular park hours and admission is not required to shop.
About OKC Zoo
Established in 1902, the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden inspires more than a million visitors annually to take action to conserve wildlife and wild places. From education programs to scientific research, the OKC Zoo is working to save species regionally and worldwide. The OKC Zoo is located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35 and a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District.
During the OKC Zoo’s Winter Hours, now through Sunday, March 1, 2026, park hours will be open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday/Sunday with last entry at 4 p.m. The park will be closed to guests during the day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Wednesday, February 4, 2026. Purchase Zoo admission in advance at okczoo.org/tickets to avoid the entry lines. For more Zoo information, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Linktree, TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories.
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