North Texans have helped name one of the Dallas Zoo’s newest stars.
Rina was selected as the winning name for a female Sumatran tiger cub after a public contest to raise awareness about wildlife conservation.
The zoo offered three names for the public to choose from, all selected by staff: Alya, an Arabic name meaning “sky” or “heaven”; Merapi, the name of one of Sumatra’s most active volcanoes; and Rina, honoring a ranger with the Sumatran Ranger Project, Dallas Zoo spokeswoman Devan George told The Dallas Morning News in an email.
The cub’s brother, Serasi, was named by zoo staff to honor another ranger from the same project who died.
This week marked a milestone for the cubs, as both Rina and Serasi ventured into their habitat for the first time alongside their mother, Suki. Early observations already hint at their personalities.
Despite being a first-time mother, Suki has shown strong maternal instincts as she helps the cubs grow, George told The News.
Rina wasted little time exploring, moving confidently through the space and straying from her mother as she investigated her surroundings, according to George.
Her curiosity quickly turned into a full-on adventure before Suki stepped in to gently guide her back, George said.
Serasi, by contrast, approached the new environment more cautiously, taking in the space with a slower, more tentative curiosity, she said.
There is no schedule for when visitors can reliably see the cubs, but the zoo said they will rotate habitat time and may be visible to guests as they continue to explore.
Officials encouraged the public to follow updates on social media for future “cubdates.”
Sumatran tigers are critically endangered, with fewer than 400 believed to remain in the wild, according to the International Fund of Animal Welfare.