A 4-and-a-half-year-old tiger named Eloise joined the growing population of Idaho Falls on Aug. 18.
The tiger was moved from Oregon Zoo, where she lived with her sister, Bernadette. They were born at the Milwaukee County Zoo in 2016.
Eloise comes to Idaho Falls Zoo after its previous tiger, Basha, died from health problems relating to her old age.
The move to Idaho Falls was also part of the Species Survival Plan, a breeding program for endangered species by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The plan arranges for animals of endangered species to be transferred to zoos based on the breeding goals of the program, according to a news release from the city of Idaho Falls.
Amur tigers, previously known as Siberian tigers, are native to eastern Russia and northeast China. According to the Idaho Falls Zoo, only 400 Amur tigers are estimated to still live in the wild. The population has shrunk as a result of poaching, both of the tigers themselves and the prey they need to survive. There are about 150 Amur tigers living in captivity in the United States.
Idaho Falls Zoo does not breed tigers, but does take tigers that are not being used for breeding. The Species Survival Plan determined that Eloise would not be used for breeding yet in order to prioritize genetic diversity in the tiger population, making her a match for the Idaho Falls Zoo.
Though Eloise is at the Idaho Falls Zoo, she will not be displayed to the public until she adjusts to her new surroundings.
“Think about when you bring a new cat into your home,” Idaho Falls Zoo General Curator Katie Barry said in the news release. “Often they’ll hide for a few days until they feel safe in their new environment. Big cats do this as well.”