Largest litter of rare Sumatran tigers born in UK

It is rare for Sumatran tigers to give birth to as many as four cubs in one litter

Four tiger cubs have been born at Manor Wildlife Park in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

It is the largest litter of Sumatran tiger cubs ever born in the UK.

Head keeper Kim Wilkins said a litter this size was "exceptionally rare", as Sumatran tigers usually have a litter of only two or three.

"When I saw four I was over the moon, what an achievement," said Ms Wilkins.

The cubs have been described as noisy and cute

The cubs were born on June 8 and have been described as "very noisy, and very cute".

There are thought to be fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers in the wild.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Sumatran tiger as critically endangered - which means they're at high risk of going extinct in the wild.

Manor Wildlife Park's Sumatran tigers are part of a conservation programme called the European Endangered Species Programme.

The cubs were born to 11-year-old tiger Terima, who already has an older cub called Zaza

The aim of the programme is to grow the populations of endangered animals, like the Sumatran tiger.

The hope is that these cubs will be able to help with breeding in other zoos in the future when they are old enough.

Zoo owner Anna Ryder Richardson explained: "You won't be able to see Sumatran tigers in the wild, during ours or our children's lifetimes. It's happening in front of our eyes and it's tragic."

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The tigers have a very important job to do because they have been genetically matched to breed."