Public Gets First Look At Sacramento Zoo's Endangered Sumatran Tiger Cub

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - For the first time Tuesday, the public was able to set eyes on the Sacramento Zoo's 3-month-old Sumatran Tiger cub.

"This is a big milestone for the cub, and we hope that as the public gets to know CJ they will be inspired to learn more about his wild counterparts," said Harrison Edell, General Curator at the Sacramento Zoo.

Born March 3, the endangered cub had been with his mother and out of view while he gained his strength and developed his coordination skills to maneuver the habitat's terrain.

"We are excited that we can now share CJ with the public as he is now old enough to explore the exhibit with his mom," said Edell.

The male tigers do not assist in the raising of their cubs. So, CJ's father will lounge around outside in the evenings and overnight while cub and mom will explore the outdoor habitat during the day.

Found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra off the Malaysian Peninsula, Sumatran Tigers are an endangered species with less than 500 believed to be in existence in the wild. About 200 live in zoos throughout the world.