AssetID: 55840576
Headline: Rare tiger relocates as part of mission to save endangered species
Caption: A rare tiger has left the only home she's ever known to start a new life hundreds of miles away as part of an international effort to save one of the world's most endangered big cats. The two-year-old Amur tiger, called Ginger Biscuit, has moved from Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire to Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire after being matched through a European conservation breeding programme. The carefully planned relocation is designed to help maintain a healthy population of Amur tigers in wildlife parks across Europe, with just an estimated 450 of the animals left in the wild. Born on May 9, 2024, Ginger Biscuit was one of four female cubs born to mother Yana and father Red. She spent her first two years growing up alongside sisters Dora-Boo, Heidi and Seeka, delighting visitors as the youngsters wrestled, explored and splashed around in their enclosure's pond. Now, like young tigers in the wild that eventually leave their mothers to establish territories of their own, Ginger Biscuit is beginning the next stage of her life. On arriving at Woburn, she will be introduced gradually to her new surroundings while experienced keepers monitor her closely. She will also begin getting to know resident Amur tigers Dmitri and Vera through protected introductions before any future breeding recommendations are considered. Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers, once ranged across large areas of eastern Russia, north-east China and the Korean peninsula, but habitat loss and poaching have driven the population to the brink. The European Endangered Species Programme works with zoos and safari parks across the continent to coordinate breeding between carefully selected animals, helping preserve genetic diversity and providing an important safeguard for the future of the species. Animal teams at Longleat and Woburn have spent months preparing for Ginger Biscuit's move to make the transition as smooth as possible. Amy Waller, Carnivore Team Manager at Longleat, said: "Ginger Biscuit has been a big part of life here over the past two years, and we've watched her grow into a confident young tiger alongside her sisters. "While it's always a difficult moment to see them move on, this is exactly what the programme is designed for, and we're proud to see her heading to Woburn as part of that wider conservation effort."
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