An Endangered Tiger Gave Birth To A Stillborn - But When Her Motherly Instincts Kicked In, Zookeepers Were Overcome With Emotion
Sep 18, 2020
In 2015, Kaitlyn the Sumatran tiger gave birth to two little male cubs. Unfortunately, the first cub struggled to breathe when it was born. As soon as Kaitlyn’s motherly instincts kicked in she knew exactly what to do to help her baby breathe. BBC Earth posted the footage to their YouTube channel.
There are few things more miraculous than creating new life and welcoming a child into this world. While many animals give birth to healthy newborns, things do not always go as planned for some mothers. The Sumatran tiger is a critically endangered species, and birth in itself is miraculous.
Be sure to reach the end of this article to see the full video.
The Sumatran tiger mom, Kaitlyn, gave birth to two male cubs in front of a small audience at Australia Zoo.
As seen in the video by BBC Earth, one cub was weak from the experience, but he managed to breathe well on his own almost immediately. The second cub, however, showed visible signs of distress. He simply did not have the ability to breathe oxygen into his tiny lungs on his own.
Conservationists estimate that as few as 400 Sumatran tigers may live in the wild at this time, so every live birth is a monumental triumph for this species. Likewise, the death of a cub is devastating on several levels.
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Natural Instinct Kicks In
This was Kaitlyn’s first pregnancy, so it may have been understandable if she did not know how to respond. However, as is the case with many mothers regardless of their species, the mother knew exactly what needed to be done. She remained calm as she began to lick him.
This pressure and motion on the young cub’s body stimulated his lungs so that his ability to breathe improved. Initially, her licking only generated modest results. He continued to gasp for air. Just as any other mother would do, Kaitlyn persisted. She instinctively did not stop licking her baby until he was breathing well on his own.
Kaitlyn’s story of a mother’s instinct is touching, and you need to see the incredible footage yourself to experience this triumphant moment. Leave your opinions and stories for others to read in the comments.