Meet Lilly, little cub born to critically-endangered Sumatran tiger in Berlin

Mayang, a Sumatran tiger, gave birth to little cub Lilly in their enclosure at Tierpark Berlin, in Berlin, Germany.

Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae), according to Tierpark zoo, are on the "Red List," meaning they are Critically Endangered.

The category is based on the assessment of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an international organization for nature conservation.

Tierpark Zoo said on its website: "The Sumatran tiger is only found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, making it the southernmost subspecies of tiger still alive today. The natural habitat of Sumatran tigers ranges from dense rainforests to swamps. Poaching for medicinal purposes has decimated the Sumatran tiger population."

According to the London Zoo, "Sumatran tigers are the rarest subspecies of tiger, classified as Critically Endangered, and it’s estimated that there are only around 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild."

"They are under threat from illegal hunting as their skins and body parts fetch high prices on the black market," the zoo said. 

Sumatran tigers, the smallest in the world, have a loud roar that can be heard two miles away, the London Zoo said.

Its bite is so strong — it has a force of 1000 pounds — that they can hunt and prey on wild cattle, pigs and deer, the zoo also said.

-Paraluman News

Photos from Reuters

Newborn Sumatran tiger cub Lilly bites the tail of its mother, Mayang, in their enclosure at Tierpark Berlin, in Berlin, Germany, March 17, 2026. Picture taken through a glass shield. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

Newborn Sumatran tiger cub Lilly looks to its mother Mayang in their enclosure at Tierpark Berlin, in Berlin, Germany, March 17, 2026. Picture taken through a glass shield. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

Newborn Sumatran tiger cub Lilly in its enclosure at Tierpark Berlin, in Berlin, Germany, March 17, 2026. Picture taken through a glass shield. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse