SEATTLE - Woodland Park Zoo’s two newest stars with stripes, 3-month-old endangered Sumatran tigers, will make their public debut Saturday, March 29. The cubs, both females, will be on view to the public between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. daily. The tigers, born December 16, 2002, mark the first birth of the endangered species at the zoo since 1992.

The tigers will make their appearance in a baby-proofed, temporary indoor exhibit that provides a safe and warm environment for the cubs. “The indoor exhibit provides more flexibility for public viewing during colder temperatures,” notes Dana Wooster, a Woodland Park Zoo feline keeper. “We’re following the advice of other zoos to keep the cubs indoors at their young age to help continue their health and well being,” adds Wooster.

Meanwhile, the rambunctious little tigers are taking full advantage of their new digs. According to Wooster, the cubs enjoy playing, climbing and pouncing. “They are honing instinctive skills and appear to enjoy their new surroundings,” says Wooster, “and their mother seems to have adjusted well to her new environment.” Once temperatures warm up, the cubs will be on view at the outdoor tiger grotto.

Beginning April 1, the zoo invites the public to participate in naming the “nameless in Seattle” cubs by logging on "New Stripes at the Zoo" and voting on one of eight Indonesian names. The Tiger Cubs Naming Poll is open to all ages and runs through midnight, April 18. Zoo-goers can also fill out a ballot at the zoo’s Education Center. The names are Indonesian because the zoo gives its wildlife residents names that reflect their countries of origin.

The names, picked by the zoo’s tiger keepers, are:

• Molek (mo-lek) – Beautiful
• Malu (mah-loo) – Shy
• Jaya (jie-yah) – Freedom
• Indah (in-dah) – Beautiful
• Mulia (moo-lee-ah) – Noble
• Suriya (soo-ree-ya) – Sun
• Langka (lang-kah) – Rare
• Kasih (kah-see) – Love

In addition to the Tiger Cub Naming Poll, U.S. residents (only) may enter the Kit and Cub-oodle Sweepstakes for a chance to win one of four prize packs that include a tiger plush toy, an adult tiger t-shirt, a child tiger t-shirt, a tiger poster and a zoo family membership. Visitors to the "New Stripes at the Zoo" section of the zoo's Web site or Woodland Park Zoo may enter to win by submitting their email, name, address and phone number. Zoo admission is not required to enter the Kit and Cub-oodle Sweepstakes.

The cubs were born to 11-year-old mother JoJo and 9-year-old father Rakata (RAH-ka-ta). The birth is significant to help sustain the Sumatran tiger population in North American zoos, which is steadily dropping due to aging tigers, a limited number of breeding animals and a low birth rate.

Of the five remaining tiger subspecies, the Sumatran is very rare with an estimated 400 existing in the wild. “The Sumatran tiger cubs represent a symbol of hope for their wild counterparts,” explains Bruce Bohmke, the zoo’s deputy director. “Connecting with tigers in zoos is a fundamental step toward understanding the need to preserve tigers and their natural world,” notes Bohmke.

All five tiger subspecies are endangered and, among these, only 6,000-8,000 tigers remain in the wild. The primary reasons for the decimation of wild tiger populations are illegal poaching, human overpopulation, and other activities that result in the destruction and fragmentation of habitat. Tiger bones and other body parts are used in traditional Asian medicines.

The Sumatran tiger SSP is among 39 SSPs that Woodland Park Zoo participates in, including the western lowland gorilla, Aruba Island rattlesnake, red-crowned crane and orangutan. Under the auspices of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA), the cooperative breeding programs work to ensure genetic diversity and demographic stability in North American zoos and aquariums. Additionally, SSPs involve a variety of other collaborative conservation activities such as research, public education, reintroduction and field projects. AZA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation, with more than 205 zoos and aquariums as members.

For more information about the zoo’s tigers and worldwide conservation efforts, check out Woodland Park Zoo’s Web site. Zoo spring hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. For general zoo information, log on the zoo’s Web site or call 206.684.4800.