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Blog Archive
Some cats DO like water
Some very lucky visitors (and myself!) were surprised to find a tiger taking a morning dip in the pond at the start of our Big Cat tour last week. Yes, contrary to popular belief, some cats do like water and some, like the Sumatran Tiger, actually like to swim in it.
Sumatran Tigers are one of the few big cats that can swim and they even have webbing between their toes, making them very efficient swimmers.
So who was the tiger in the water you ask…Assiqua, our 11 year old female from France. It was only 28 degrees here in Adelaide but it was overcast and humid, imitating a perfect day in a Sumatran Rainforest. Assiqua started with sitting on the edge of the water but then decided to go all the way in and wade around. For 20 minutes we watched this beautiful animal in the water, pawing and hissing at the fish in the pond.
Assiqua is not our only water cat. Our male Sumatran Tiger, Tuan, can sometimes be seen taking a dip. When Tuan first came to Adelaide Zoo he wasn’t that keen on the water but with a little encouragement he does cautiously adventure in.
One of my fellow Carnivore keepers, John, has been placing items such as a blood or bone icicle into the water, enticing Tuan in. And just like Assiqua, Tuan cannot resist the cool water on a hot and humid day in Adelaide... if only the keepers could join in on those days!
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