The Shanghai Zoo in Changning District is asking the public to help name four South China tiger cubs born last month, it announced on Wednesday.

The cubs are female and were born on July 4. They weigh over 5 kilograms each now and are growing healthily, animal keepers said.

A South China tiger cub

South China tiger cubs

Their father is Ma Si, born in Luoyang City, Henan Province, in 2014. Their mother Lu Lu is also six years old; this was her first delivery. Both arrived at the zoo in 2018.

The zoo is seeking names for the quadruplets on its WeChat account and Douyin (known overseas as TikTok) platform.

The tiger quadruplets

Lu Lu safeguards her cubs.

The South China tiger is almost extinct in the wild and there are only about 180 of them living at zoos in China.

The zoo, home to 24 South China tigers at present, started breeding the species in 1958. It has a research base for the protection of rare animals, including tigers.

Two Bengal tigers were born at the zoo last month.

The female cubs were born on July 12, weighing 1,070 grams and 1,100 grams upon birth. The youngsters are named Xiao (small) Nan and Da (big) Nan, in reference to their weight and their mother's name: Nan Nan.

Sadly, the pair's mother died due to dystocia during birth. Two other cubs in the same litter did not survive either.

The quadruplets

Lu Lu is protective of her young.

Source: SHINE

Editor: Dai Qian