To celebrate International Tiger Day, Jaya our majestic Sumatran Tiger enjoyed a tasty treat.

Jaya’s claw-some keepers set up a stripe-tacular surprise that was not only nutritious but also encouraged him to put his athletic body and big cat brains to work.

Perth Zoo senior keeper Jenna Peddie said it was only fitting that Jaya enjoyed some extra special enrichment for this special day.   

“Today, Jaya tackled a big rhino-shaped box in search of the three tasty chickens inside,” Jenna said.

“Big box enrichment like he enjoyed today is very novel for Jaya, it gives him the opportunity to jump and crush and really flex his muscles.”

Tigers are carnivores and have a roaring appetite. In the wild, they will eat whatever they can catch including fish, crocodiles and fowl, with the most common larger prey being wild pigs and deer.

To mimic their natural diet patterns, Jaya gets big feeds three days a week, rather three meals a day like us humans.  

However, his keepers do provide him with some tiger-rific treats every day during his positive training programs.
Many of you would be aware that we have been watching our old Jaya’s health for some time. In 2018, he was diagnosed with an ectopic thyroid carcinoma and had a tumour removed. 

After that operation, his post-surgery prognosis was considered to be around nine months.  

Considering that was over six years ago, Jaya is certainly proving to be a cat with nine lives!

As he lives out his golden oldie years, we know that every day we have with Jaya is precious. That’s why he deserves all the special treats and a wild day to celebrate International Tiger Day!

International Tiger Day is celebrated on July 29 every year to raise awareness for tiger conservation and show support for these fantastic felines.

“Jaya is an excellent ambassador for his critically endangered species, and helps to raise awareness for the plight of his wild cousins,” Jenna said.

“Unfortunately, habitats for Sumatran Tigers in the wild are rapidly disappearing due to agriculture and palm oil, and the illegal wildlife trade.”

“He has a very unique and fiery personality, and anyone lucky enough to meet him during our behind-the-scenes tour never forgets him!”

If you’d like the chance to see Jaya like never before, book a Tiger Behind-the-Scenes today!