A young 250-pound Sumatran tiger who came from the Sacramento Zoo will make his debut at the Los Angeles Zoo Friday amid expectations that he will help his species survive.
Castro Jr. — also known as C.J. — was born March 3, 2013. He is a member of an endangered species, with fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild as the result of habitat destruction, poaching and being killed after coming into contact with their human neighbors.
Zoo Animal Keeper Stephanie Zielinski noted some traits that could make C.J. an eligible breeding bachelor at the Los Angeles Zoo, as well as a crowd favorite.
“C.J. is an incredibly well-natured and energetic tiger,” Zielinski said. “He has very distinct gold eyes, and he loves to swim in the different pools in his habitat.”
C.J. is a member of the smallest tiger subspecies, which hails from the Indonesian island of Sumatra. There are six subspecies of tigers in the world.
—City News Service