New-Born Sumatran Tiger Cub Dies at London Zoo

Officials at London Zoo were devastated when the new-born Sumatran tiger cub died after drowning in the enclosure’s pool.

The cub was born on 22^nd September after a six minute labour. The birth was caught on camera in the den for hundreds of thousands of people to witness and it was the first to be born at the zoo in seventeen years. The cub had not been named yet and they didn't know the sex of the cub as it was too early to determine.

Photo: Melati (The mother of the cub)

The keepers checked the enclosure on Saturday after the three week old cub couldn’t be located; later they found the cub at the bottom of the pool.  Post mortem tests were carried out and the zoo confirmed that the tiger cub died from drowning.

London Zoo's Malcolm Fitzpatrick said: "We're heartbroken by what's happened. To go from the excitement of the birth to this in three weeks is just devastating."

However it’s still unclear of how the tiger club actually died. It is thought that the cub’s mother carried it outside of the den early Saturday morning.

"We would do anything to turn back the clock and nobody could be more upset about what's happened than the keepers who work with the tigers every day.” Fitzpatrick commented.

 Kyra Balderstone, year 9