THREE critically endangered and extremely rare Sumatran tiger cubs are celebrating their first birthday at West Midlands Safari Park.
Nova, Nadirah, and Naresh turned one on Saturday, January 17, 2026, so keepers, with the help of some lucky guests, treated the cubs to a pile of cardboard boxes.
The boxes had an extra hidden treat of some chunks of meat hidden inside, meaning the tigers had to destroy the box tower and search for their birthday snacks.
Nova was the first to discover the presents and quickly set to work claiming a few for herself, followed by brother Naresh and sister Nadirah.
Head of Carnivores, Kasha Carter, said: “I can’t believe our tiger cubs are already celebrating their first birthday.
“As we all know, cats love boxes, so we thought we would treat them to a massive stack of them. We were lucky enough to have some help setting up from some guests who were taking part in our Keeper Retreat experience too.
“Transforming simple things (like boxes) into a world of play, curiosity and growing strength, is all a vital part of how the cubs have spent their first year of learning. Moments like these highlight the importance of enrichment for healthy development, while reminding us how precious their future is and why playing a part in the conservation of their species matters more than ever.”
The trio were born to mum, Dourga, and stole hearts instantly, with Nova being named by the keepers, Nadirah being named by guests on the Park’s Facebook page, and Naresh gaining his name from viewers of the hit ITV talk show ‘Lorraine’.
Sumatran tigers are listed as ‘critically endangered’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature- the most endangered an animal can be before it is classed as ‘extinct in the wild’.
It is estimated that there may be fewer than 4,000 tigers left in the wild, with only around 400 of those being Sumatran tigers.
