Sumatran tiger

Kali was born here on April 17, 2013. Because she was hand-raised, she’s very interactive with her keepers. Kali loves attention and will sometimes whine when she thinks she’s not getting enough of it, keepers say! She’s pretty laid back most of the time but will protect what’s important to her – like her dinner.

Unlike most tigers, she isn’t a huge fan of swimming. But she’s a training rock star, say keepers, lying still as long as they need her to for important health tests. She has a lot of energy, and likes to play with a weighted ball that comes back up if you push it down.

And of course, being a cat, she loves rabbits and “blood-sicles” for treats!

Indah is one of the tiger triplets born at Point Defiance Zoo in 2014. For nearly two years, visitors had the rare privilege of watching the three young tigers grow from small bundles of orange and black fluff to maturing adolescents. In 2016, Indah left Point Defiance Zoo as part of a recommendation by the Species Survival Plan® for Sumatran tigers. In 2021, we welcomed her back home to Tacoma.

Keepers describe Indah as a “calm, mellow tiger who goes with the flow.” They say she’s also very social and personable, and chuffs at the other tigers, “a tiger sign of friendliness.” She is a fast learner and loves to explore.

There’s a new tiger in Tacoma! We are excited to announce the arrival of our newest resident, an 11-year-old male Sumatran tiger named Sanjiv (pronounced sun-jeev) in January 2023. The critically endangered tiger joins us from Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center on a Species Survival Plan recommendation and will soon be slowly introduced to our two female tigers, Kali and Indah. Paws crossed for new endangered tiger cubs in the future.

Sumatran tigers are critically endangered in the wild, with only about 400 to 500 remaining on their native Indonesian island of Sumatra. The species faces intense pressure from habitat loss and fragmentation, black-market poaching, human-tiger conflict, and loss of prey.

Sanjiv is a very social and expressive tiger who loves to interact with his keepers and our two female tigers. He’s always chuffing and vocalizing, and he’s fascinated with the swinging gibbons and other species that share his Asian Forest Sanctuary home.