The confiscated Bengal tiger cub Moka, who underwent recent surgery, has made a successful recovery and is once again being allowed to play in the outdoor area of the San Diego Zoo’s tiger exhibit, zoo officials announced.
Guests visiting the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Tull Family Tiger Trail exhibit Thursday morning got to see Moka and his Sumatran tiger buddy Rakan enjoying some playtime together—running, pouncing and climbing in an outdoor area.
Earlier this week, veterinarians determined Moka was recovering well from his March 6 emergency surgery to correct intestinal adhesions and could go back outside and resume his normal routine. Until Thursday, he had been spending his days recovering in his bedroom area at Tiger Trail under veterinary care.
“Moka’s sutures are looking great, he’s healing well and his prognosis for a full recovery is really good,” said Katie Christofferson, keeper, San Diego Zoo Safari Park. “Moka will continue to get a veterinary check once a week for the next couple of weeks, but he’s now he’s able to run, jump and pounce, while honing his tiger skills.”
Moka’s dedicated keepers and veterinarians closely monitored him throughout the healing process to ensure a safe and smooth transition back to his active life on Tiger Trail. Guests will be able to see both cubs daily from around 9 a.m. until noon most days, in one of the outdoor exhibits at Tiger Trail.
Guests will be able to see both cubs daily from around 9 a.m. until noon most days, in one of the outdoor exhibits at Tiger Trail.
Now that the cubs are getting older, there are some noticeable differences. Rakan is much darker in color and his stripes are much closer together — and he’s the more dominant of the two. Moka is lighter in color and is now the larger of the two cubs, weighing in at 100 pounds. Rakan currently weighs 90 pounds.
Moka was confiscated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers during a vehicle inspection Aug. 23, 2017 at the U.S./Mexico port of entry near San Diego. The cub remains under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
–Staff
