Rare Tiger Born in San Francisco Zoo: Sumatran Cub's Sex Unknown Until Keepers Can Examine It in 2 Weeks

A rare Sumatran tiger cub was born in the San Francisco zoo this past weekend. 

Only 400 Sumatran tigers exist today in the wild and are the smallest of six subspecies of tigers in Sumatra, an island of Indonesia, where they thrive in mostly lowland and mountain forest regions, according to The Christian Science Monitor.  But as their habitats are becoming scarce and poaching is endangering survival, these tigers have to be kept in captivity.

"These births are definitely rare," said Dr. Tara Harris, a tiger specialist with the North American Association of Zoos and Aquariums, to The Guardian.

The birth was an extremely rare occasion and it's giving the endangered species a chance to repopulate, zookeepers told reporters.

The zookeepers are keeping a close eye on the 9-year-old mother and cub using a webcam and securing them separately in the Lion House.   The webcam showed mother and son sleeping. According to The Guardian, the mother tiger, named Leanne, also delivered a litter of three male cubs in 2008, and this cub was the first newborn at the zoo since.

Approximately 75 Sumatran tigers were in captivity in North America, Harris told The Guardian. They give birth to two to four litters per year.

"All signs seem to be positive so far," said Corinne MacDonald, San Francisco zoo curator of carnivores and primates, said to The Monitor

The cub is keeping healthy and doing well, MacDonald said.

Zookeepers said they'll wait two more weeks to exam the gender of the cub and it will be transferred after a year and a half of nursing in their care at the zoo. 

The cub's father is 6-year-old tiger named Larry who was temporarily brought in for breeding from Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. There is no news where he will be placed next.