Endangered Sumatran tiger cubs pass their swimming test

Two Sumatran tiger cubs took a casual dip at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.for the first time on Wednesday and passed their swimming test with flying colours. The cubs - Bandar, a male, and Sukacita, a female - were born at the Zoo on August 5.

They have spent the past few months with their mother and under the care and supervision of the Zoo's animal keepers. In order to make their public debut on November 18, they first needed to pass a swimming test to ensure that they're ready.

“Tigers are one of the few species of cats that enjoy taking a dip in water,” Craig Saffoe, curator of Great Cats, said. “The moat exists for the safety of our visitors, but it could present an obstacle for young cats. Our job is to make sure that if the cubs venture into the moat, they know how and where to get out.

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“These cubs represent hope for their critically endangered species’ future, so we need to take every precaution to ensure their survival.” Both cubs passed the test. But what would have happened if they'd failed? "We probably would've tried again," Dr. Don Moore, Associate Director for Animal Care, said. "We haven't had a cat fail a swim test before."