Malayan tiger cubs born at Cincinnati Zoo

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Three Malayan tiger cubs were born Friday and are now being cared for in the Cincinnati Zoo’s nursery.

First-time mom Cinta’s maternal instincts did not kick in and vets, concerned that the cubs' body temperatures would dip too low without the warmth of mom's body, made the call to remove them from the den, zoo officials said.

“It’s not uncommon for first-time tiger moms not to know what to do," curator of mammals Mike Dulaney said. "They can be aggressive and even harm or kill the cubs. Nursery staff is keeping them warm and feeding them every three hours.”

The cubs will be cared for in the nursery for now. They will move to Cat Canyon when they’re weaned and no longer need constant care, according to the zoo.

Visitors should be able to see them playing and running around in their outdoor habitat in early spring.

Story courtesy of WCPO