South Yorkshire tigers have a splashing time on hottest day of the year

As temperatures soared to nearly 90 degrees yesterday, Amur tigers at the Doncaster-based wildlife park took a dip at the Land of Tigers reserve while visitors watched their playful antics.

Mum Tschuna and 16-month-old cubs Harley, Hector and Hope splashed around to cool off as spectators gathered.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park Director, Cheryl Williams, said: “It’s fantastic to see the tigers enjoying the sun so much and jumping in the pool to cool off. They were having real fun.

"Visitors were rooted to the spot on the walkway directly overlooking them as they played about."

The park has been instrumental in raising awareness of the plight of the endangered Amurs and helped establish a strong European breeding programme, of which the three cubs are a key part.

Amur tigers are one of the most endangered species on the planet with less than 600 left in the wild.