Tiger Gives Birth To Lifeless Cubs But When Her Instincts Kick In Caretakers Are Left Astounded

May 04, 2020

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 in a way.

When a pregnant Sumatran tiger gave birth to two male cubs in Aug. 2013 at Australia Zoo, it was a very exciting event. However, since one of the cubs was perilously close to death, the near-tragedy would have been heartbreaking for the mother tiger as well as for her entire species. Thankfully, her motherly instincts jolted her into action at just the right time, and you can watch this tearful moment yourself in the video below.

The Sumatran tiger mom, Kaitlyn, resides at Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland. She is one of nine Sumatran tigers at the zoo and they're looked after Giles Clark, an English conservationist, and his eight handlers. Clark runs the tiger department at the zoo and he was there with Kaitlyn on the day she gave birth. 

In the BBC Earth video, Clark explained that Kaitlyn had been in labor for hours before she began to reach the advanced stages, where she began to have strong contractions. Although he was by her side, it was Kaitlyn's job as a mother to deliver her cubs herself. 

Clark looked on in awe, as did a room full of zoo workers as they watched the momentous event via live video stream, and their excitement was palpable. 

As reported by the Sunshine Coast Daily, Kaitlyn gave birth to the two male cubs, named Stripe and Spot, in front of the small audience of workers at Australia Zoo. But although the moment was full of joy and excitement, there were some complications with the births.

The first cub to be born was weak from the experience and had trouble breathing. After giving birth to the first cub, Kaityln began to lick her son in order to get him to begin breathing. But he simply did not have the ability to breathe oxygen into his tiny lungs on his own. Even after more than two minutes the cub still wasn't breathing. 

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 continued to lick him, despite the fact that he was unresponsive for a while. The pressure and motion of Kaitlyn's tongue 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. But 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.

Finally, Clark saw that the cub had taken a couple of breaths and that the tiny cub was able to breathe by himself.  

At that point, Kaitlyn began to have more contractions — she still had another cub to deliver! But in contrast to the first cub's birth, the second one came out and managed to breathe well on his own almost immediately. Clark and the team of workers at Australia Zoo were overjoyed at the births. They cheered on and were incredibly happy to witness such a miraculous moment.

After her long day of giving birth, Kaitlyn allowed Clark to share the moment with her. He gave her a warm pat on the head while she looked on at her cubs in awe. "You're so good. You're so amazing," Clark told Kaitlyn. At the time Clark told the Courier Mail:

"The cubs will spend the next few weeks bonding with mum. This will also ensure the cubs get the colostrum (first milk) and a head start while they are so small."

He added:

"At this time the strong bonds are formed between handlers and cubs to allow us to interact with the tigers for their entire life and provide the long term enrichment of walks and experiences outside of their enclosures.''

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. It's incredibly lucky that Kaitlyn was able to revive her firstborn son and it's exciting for all animal lovers around the world that such an endangered species was able to procreate. Clark added:

"Not only will these cubs ensure the survival of the species in captivity, but they will also provide genetic diversity among captive tiger populations. The cubs' wild bloodline is an important factor." 

Kaitlyn’s story of a mother’s instinct is touching, and you need to see the incredible footage yourself to experience this triumphant moment. What did you think about the birth? Let us know then pass this on to any animals lovers in your life!