Sumatran tiger cubs make grand entrance

Curious and wide-eyed, Melbourne Zoo's Sumatran tiger cubs made their first public appearance yesterday.To the delight of onlookers, Rani, Indra, Aceh and Hutan timidly followed their mother Binjai into the Tiger Exhibit where they posed for the media before bouncing away to climb the bamboo trees.Acting Premier Rob Hulls officially welcomed the cute and cuddly cubs to their new playground.Amid the excitement, Rani, the most adventurous of the litter, managed to have a quick lie down before returning to frolick with her siblings.The cubs are the latest addition to Melbourne Zoo's international breeding program, which aims to boost the decreasing numbers of Sumatran tigers in the wild."The Brumby Labor Government is proud to support the Sumatran tiger captive breeding program which has seen the birth of these beautiful, yet seriously endangered, tiger cubs" Mr Hulls said."With as few as 300 Sumatran tigers surviving in the wild, this is a high-priority international conservation program."The cubs fronted the media earlier this month when they received a general check-up and vaccinations but today was the first time they have appeared before the public.They will initially spend a few hours each day in the exhibit and the time will gradually extend as they become older.