Nature Features

Four rare Sumatran tiger cubs have been born at Paignton Zoo.

All four cubs and mum, Banda, are doing well following the births overnight on 4 February - a freezing cold night.

Staff will keep their distance over the first few weeks to give Banda and her cubs as much peace and quiet as possible.

They will spend a month hidden from view before hopefully making a public appearance. Zoo staff are working to erect video screens to show recorded footage of the youngsters in the den.

Banda pictured before the births

Banda and dad Tenang had their first litter of two in May 2006. They were the first tiger cubs to be born at Paignton Zoo since 1988. Male cub Topan died of a heart condition and female Kirana left Paignton Zoo for Chester Zoo in October 2008.

Paignton Zoo's director of operations and curator of mammals, Neil Bemment, said: "While visitors cannot see the cubs yet, we wanted to share our good news.

"Banda is mothering well. We hope the youngsters will be out and about by Easter. In the meantime, we hope to put up video screens to show recorded clips of the new arrivals in the den."

Sumatran tiger cubs typically weigh about two pounds at birth. It's not uncommon for the one of the cubs in a litter to die at birth. The cubs live on mother's milk for six to eight weeks before moving on to meat.

Paignton Zoo is a member of the European Endangered species Programme (EEP) for Sumatran tigers, which means it is part of the global effort to save this endangered species from extinction.

The species is critically endangered because of poaching and habitat destruction.

Captive and wild populations are protected and managed in an attempt to prevent Sumatran tigers following the Bali and Javan tigers into extinction.

Estimates suggest there are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild.

The tiger is named after the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, where they originate.

View Paignton Zoo's CCTV video clips of the cubs by clicking onto the links on the top right of this page.