The Toledo Zoo twin tiger cubs.Photo:Courtesy of Toledo Zoo
Courtesy of Toledo Zoo
The fans have spoken, and the Toledo Zoo’s twin Siberian tiger cubs officially have their names!
On Friday’s episode of theTodayshow,Savannah Guthrierevealed that the twin girls —born at the Ohio-based attraction in July— have officially been given their monikers after a nationwide vote.
More than 10,000 people participated in the contest, settling on Ember (meaning Spark) and Ash (meaning Dream).
Those names perfectly fit the cubs' personalities, according to zookeepers. “One cub is a fiery furball, always on the prowl for playtime and pestering mom or her sister,” they toldToday.“The other is the queen of catnaps! She is shy but can be a force to reckon with when she wakes up. They are both very curious and love investigating their new enrichment items.”
Participating in the contest cost fans $1 a vote (for two names). All donations received through the tiger cub naming contest are going towards the care and protection of Amur tigers, both at the Toledo Zoo and globally.
Though other names, including Calida and Nadya, were close, Ember came out on top with 2,374 votes. Ash, meanwhile, got 1,716 votes.
Toledo Zoo celebrates Ash and Ember.The Toledo Zoo/Instagram
The Toledo Zoo/Instagram
Ember and Ash are now on exhibit at the zoo, the organization said on Instagram Friday in an Instagram Story featuring two pumpkins carved with the cubs' new names.
The newborn’s mom, Tayla, birthed the cubs on July 20. She and dad Titan previously welcomed another pair of twins in 2021.
Nearly two months after their birth, the Toledo Zoo announced Ember and Ash’s arrival. On Sept. 27, they dida spooky sex reveal, using two pink jack-o'-lantern pumpkins carved with the faces of the cats to make the proclamation.
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Michael Frushour, the Toledo Zoo’s curator of mammals, said onTodaythat the tigers are “incredibly rare.”
“There’s only 5,000 tigers left in the wild. This particular subspecies, there’s less than 500 in the wild,” he said. “So, this is really special for us to have, especially two girls. It’s a really exciting day.”
Asked how mom and the cubs are doing, Frushour revealed that all are doing “absolutely great.”
“We’ve done two check-ups on them, and they were 14 and 15 pounds each,' he said. “So, they’re doing great with mom.”
source: people.com
