Saigon zoo wants to give away some tigers, cites tight budget
The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden is asking for permission to exchange some of its tigers for other animals, saying it cannot afford to take care of all 16 tigers.
A report from the zoo, which charges entrance tickets and finances its own operations, said its current budget cannot assure good conditions for all the tigers, five of which belong to a rare white tiger species.
It said the optimal number of tigers is 13.
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| A female white tiger and its cubs at the Saigon Zoo. Photo: P.V.Lam/Tuoi Tre |
An employee said a tiger needs around 37 kilograms of beef and chicken a week and extra eggs on during its mating period.
Three white tiger cubs were born here last August, an extremely rare event during the zoo's 150 years of history. It brought in the parents from Canada in 2009.
A pair of Bengal tigers also gave birth to five cubs last year.