Tiger Cub Born @ Hollywild

INMAN, SC – September 15, 2010 – Hollywild Animal Park has welcomed a bouncing baby…. tiger!

“Kashmir” was born on May 2, 2010 to the park’s tigress, “Liv,” a longtime park resident. His father, “Liberty,” another Hollywild tiger, passed away of natural causes this spring before ever meeting his son.

At birth, Kashmir developed digestive trouble. Liv couldn’t feed him and quickly started nudging him toward her keepers, asking for help. In the wild, Kashmir would not have survived. Not so at Hollywild. The keepers worked with area veterinarians to identify and treat Kashmir’s digestive problems and now he’s making his first public appearances. 

On Saturday, September 11th, Kashmir was showcased at Hollywild’s Photography Day. Amateur photographers were able to meet the newest member of the Hollywild big cat family and learn more about Kashmir’s importance.

As Kashmir pawed at the plants, and rolled in the grass, much like apet kitten playing with yarn, Linda M. Poole, Hollywild’s outreachcoordinator, explained the cat’s significance to the park’s educationalmission.

“Kashmir is a living tribute to worldwide conservation efforts. He isa Siberian Tiger, one of the most severely endangered tigers in theworld.  When people visit Hollywild and learn about him and his species,they start to think about the choices they make that effect theenvironment. That makes a difference,” explained Poole. 

In the wild, Siberian Tigers are solitary animals, roaming as far north as Siberia, as far south as Bali, as far west as Turkey and as far east as the coastal areas of Russia and China. In that large range, there are still less than 500 Siberian Tigers in the wild. They live solitary lives and unlike other big cats like lions, cougars, and cheetahs, they like to live in areas with dense ground cover, enabling them to hide easily from their prey.

“This little guy has been through a lot, but now we know he’s healthy and growing well. We were touched that Liv turned to us to help her cub survive and now, to see him thriving,” said Jeanne Peters, head of animal staff at Hollywild.

When fully grown, Kashmir will weigh up to 700 pounds and create paw prints the size of dinner plates. But for now, his kitten-like behavior gives those who can interact with him closely the chance to appreciate the species on a whole new level. Kashmir will also be showcased at the October 9th Photography Day event.

In addition to the on-site birth of a new cub, one of Hollywild’s jaguars, currently on loan to a zoo in Florida, has recently given birth to twin cubs, a male and female, who will be returning to the park when they are old enough to travel safely.

In September and October, Hollywild is open during weekdays for groups of 15 or more by appointment. Individuals or smaller groups may call the office for additional weekday hours.  On weekends, Hollywild is open from 10 AM – 5 PM, with the admission gate closing at 4PM.
For more information about Hollywild, visit www.hollywild.com or call the park office at (864) 472-2038.