The two tiger cubs were separated from their mother after their sanctuary flooded, when a hurricane hit. Now the cubs are attended by a chimpanzee, which emulates her caregiver.
The chimpanzee, Anjana, is a two-year-old is helping her keeper China York care for the 21-day-old cubs at The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS) in South Carolina. The
TIGERS is a wildlife education organization promotes global conservation efforts via education and interactive programs.
The tiger cubs, named “Mitra” and “Shiva” were born during the Hurricane Hannah storm. The mother got stressed by the situation, the sanctuary area was flooded as a result the cubs had to be separated from the mother according to Dr. Bhagvan, founder of TIGERS.
The keeper China York tends to the cubs and Anjana seeing the keeper in action also helps her out. The cubs are almost inseparable from China and Anjana. There are pictures of them at the
main article link and
here, shows how much love they have for the cubs.
Dr. Bhagvan told
Daily Mail:
'China's role means that she is care giver to hundreds of animals when they are born. Anjana has been with China, side by side, ever since she was born and has joined her in caring and raising baby animals. So she helped her and acted as a surrogate mother to these animals and she has done these same with these baby white tigers.
Anjana gives the cubs’ milk bottles and feeds them, lies with them and acts like a surrogate mother according to Dr. Bhagvan.
China also takes care of leopards, lions and orangutans in the sanctuary. After seeing China care for the animals, Anjana imitates her actions.
Dr. Bhagvan has high praises for China:
'She has just finished raising four lions and they were inseparable. She is a great assistant.'
Dr. Bhagvan can hire Anjana too as an assistant. It is great to see compassion among different animals.
Two white tiger cubs have a surrogate mom, a chimpanzee
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