Why Fresno's zoo is getting a tiger, losing a tiger, and it's a good thing

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - The Fresno Chaffee Zoo announced that it gained an 8-year-old pistillate tiger named Batari connected Tuesday, but besides revealed that the zoo's different pistillate tiger, Dara, would soon beryllium leaving the zoo.

Zoological Specialist Courtney says Batari was calved astatine the Cincinnati Zoo and past relocated to Tulsa earlier coming to Fresno successful September.

Since her relocation, Batari has reportedly acclimated to her enclosure and has travel to attraction for her keepers.

"Batari was a small apprehensive of america astatine first," Courtney said. "But we person decidedly seen a implicit 180 from that archetypal day."

Batari's transportation to the zoo isn't a punishment oregon a reward, though she is simply a invited summation to the Kingdoms of Asia grounds astatine the zoo.

Courtney says Batari is portion of a conservation effort meant to guarantee steadfast and unchangeable populations of endangered species.

"We are portion of a Species Survival Plan (SSP)," Courtney said. "We astir similar a Match.com for these tigers. We're going to effort to guarantee that we person a precise steadfast familial population."

Through the SSP, Courtney says the transportation of endangered animals is facilitated. So females similar Batari tin beryllium acceptable up with males of their species, similar the zoo's 250-pound antheral Malayan tiger, Penari.

But Courtney says the match-making process is not arsenic elemental arsenic dropping Penari and Batari successful the aforesaid enclosure. In fact, Malayan tigers are solitary creatures. So Batari and Penari volition not stock an enclosure astatine each and lone conscionable to mate.

"Lions are 1 of the lone large cats that are genuinely social. They bash signifier of pride. We person our ain pridefulness here," Courtney said. "These cats are going to beryllium recovered successful much jungle, rain-forested areas. So it would beryllium hard to effort to support a ample radical together."

According to Courtney, unit astatine the zoo volition proceed to ticker Batari to spot erstwhile the champion clip to present Batari and Penari would be.

"We are going to beryllium capable to commencement collecting things similar fecal samples that volition assistance america find her hormone levels," Courtney said. "When you present males and pistillate tigers, you truly person to marque definite it's the nonstop close time."

According to Courtney, the zoo's different pistillate tiger, Dara, volition soon permission the Fresno Chaffee Zoo arsenic portion of the SSP.

"She also, with an SSP recommendation, volition really beryllium leaving Fresno Chaffee Zoo to spell to different facility," Courtney said. "We're not definite precisely erstwhile oregon wherever conscionable yet, but we are blessed to spot her person a caller home."

For now, guests tin spot some Dara and Batari astatine the zoo successful their respective habitats.