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Tiger cub triplets play outside at Missouri zoo for the first time. Watch them explore

Tiger cub triplets explored the great outdoors for the first time at a Missouri zoo, video shows.
Tiger cub triplets explored the great outdoors for the first time at a Missouri zoo, video shows. Screengrab from St. Louis Zoo Facebook post

Tiger cub triplets at a Missouri zoo ventured into the outdoors for the first time, the St. Louis Zoo said.

The 3.5-month-old Amur tiger cubs explored the zoo’s outdoor habitat on March 6 while their mother closely supervised.

Two of the cubs were more eager to get outdoors, video shows. Darya and Ussuri slowly ventured away from their mother to play with sticks and leaves, the zoo said March 11 on Facebook.

Sungari stayed close to the doorway and watched his brother and sister explore, the zoo said.

The cubs aren’t ready to frequently take on the outdoor habitat, the zoo said. They’ll continue to spend most of their time in the den with their parents until their mother feels comfortable letting them out.

Though the cubs are eating more meat and chewing on bones, they are still nursing, according to the zoo. They weigh between 35 and 41 pounds.

Amur tigers, commonly known as Siberian tigers, are a critically endangered species, according to the Wildcats Conservation Alliance.

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This story was originally published March 12, 2024 at 11:52 AM with the headline "Tiger cub triplets play outside at Missouri zoo for the first time. Watch them explore."

Kate Linderman
mcclatchy-newsroom
Kate Linderman covers national news for McClatchy’s real-time team. She reports on politics and crime and courts news in the Midwest. Kate is a 2023 graduate of DePaul University and is based in Chicago.
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