Meet Lilly, the Berlin tiger cub
In early January, a female Sumatran tiger was born at a Berlin zoo. The cub now finally has a name, and visitors can increasingly watch her play.
'Tiger jury' has spoken
Around two-and-a-half months after her birth in early January, the female tiger cub at Tierpark Berlin has a name: Lilly. A "tiger jury" selected the name from more than 1,000 suggestions, the zoo announced. Visitors were able to submit their ideas to the zoo in eastern Berlin throughout February. Lilly was reportedly a frequent suggestion.
Literary Lilly
According to the zoo, Lilly is a short, memorable name. It also contains a literary reference to the character Tiger Lily from "Peter Pan." The most famous adaption of the work, the 1953 Disney animated movie, generally depicts Native Americans in a way that's considered racist today. But Tiger Lily herself is clever, brave and independent ― qualities also recognizable in her feline namesake.
Mommy's girl
A tender moment as Lilly cuddles with her mother, Mayang. Tiger dad Jae Jae had to be euthanized a few weeks ago due to a serious kidney condition. However, this is unlikely to affect Lilly's development. For tigers, raising cubs is entirely the mother's responsibility.
Catch a tiger by the tail
Mom's tail is being used as a toy, but she's probably used to it: Lilly isn't the first cub for the tiger mother at the Berlin zoo. Lilly's sisters, born in 2022, are named Luise and Lotte — all female offspring have names beginning with "L." Lilly's brothers are called Ede and Kuno.
Curious cat
Lilly is keen to explore the enclosure in the zoo's rainforest house. "Even though mother and cub still need plenty of time together, their exploratory trips into the indoor enclosure are becoming more and more frequent," promised zoo director Andreas Knieriem. It's still too cold for the tiger cub to venture outside, though.
Distinguished visitors
Lilly and Mayang are Sumatran tigers, an endangered species whose natural habitat is exclusively on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. There, the animals live in dense rainforests and wetlands. Representatives from the Indonesian Embassy were also present at Lilly's naming ceremony in Berlin.
A rare gift
Sumatran tigers are considered the rarest big cats on Earth. "Due to habitat loss and human intervention, their population in the wild has shrunk to only about 400 to 600 animals," explained zoo director Knieriem. That is precisely why the Berlin zoo is delighted to contribute to the conservation of Sumatran tigers with Lilly's birth.