Video: Tiger travels more than 1,100 miles to new home in South Yorkshire

Altai, a young male Amur Tiger has joined YWP’s resident tigress Tschuna as part of global conservation efforts to protect the species.

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The three year old was born at the Norwegian Zoo, Dyreparken, and is now ready to start his own family on recommendation of the European Endangered Species Programme.

Altai arrived late on Thursday, February 27.

He was very calm and quiet on arrival and not in a hurry to come straight out his crate until Section Head of Carnivores, Bex Brown, tempted him with a piece of meat.

The big cat is now settling into the house and his own separate area at YWP’s, ‘Land of the Tigers’ and it will be a while before he can be introduced to Tschuna.

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Director of Animals, Charlotte MacDonald, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Altai here at the Park and are looking forward to Tschuna and Altai being introduced when the time is right.

“Tschuna arrived at the Park in 2013 and gave birth to three cubs two years later.

“All three of her cubs moved to different parks round the world to be part of the vital species breeding programme. One has joined the American programme and is a father already at the Cleveland Zoo, Ohio.

“We hope that Tschuna will enjoy the new company and that in time they can contribute to global conservation efforts to protect this incredible species.

“We are delighted with Altai. He is a beautiful, huge cat and very calm and receptive, his keepers at Dyreparken have clearly done a great job with him.

"It will take him a while to settle in at the Park as it is a big change for him but hopefully he will be out in the Land of the Tiger in the coming weeks.

“He is very curious and interested in what is going on and I am sure he will be a massive hit with our visitors.”

Land of the Tigers is a two-acre complex of reserves made up of woodlands, grasslands and its own waterfall pool.

Altai’s previous keeper, Even Grønnerø, said: “Altai is a nice and calm tiger. He loves his training, eating and especially enjoys playing in the water outside.”

Amur Tigers, more commonly known as Siberian Tigers, are the largest big cats in the world. The average weight for males is 160-190kg, while females are smaller, at 110-130kg.

In the last 100 years the world has lost three subspecies of tiger, with Amur Tiger numbers dropping to around 50 individuals several decades ago.

International awareness and conservation initiatives have helped to push their numbers back. The most recent IUCN Red List assessment, published in 2022, estimated the population at 265-486, but they do remain endangered.

YWP prides itself on its global conservation efforts, working closely with the WildLife Foundation, the charity based at the park.

The Foundation has previously supported a WildCats Conservation Alliance and funded a rescue and rehabilitation centre at Alekseevka in Russia, to rehabilitate and reintroduce Amur tigers into the wild. It is hoped that Altai will become an ambassador for the species and visitors will contribute to future projects for wild tiger conservation.

YWP, which puts conservation at the heart of all its activities, offers visitors a mesmerising walk-through experience coming almost face to face with some of world’s most beautiful and at-risk species, including Polar Bears, Black Rhinos, Giraffes and African Painted Dogs.

As well as the Wildlife Park, the Yorkshire Wildlife Resort boasts The Hex Wildlife Hotel and The Yorkshire Hive, the shopping, dining and entertainment village.