Tallinn Zoo welcomes striped hyena cubs after 17 years

Visitors can once again see striped hyena cubs at Tallinn Zoo, the first born there in more than 17 years, ERR reported. The two cubs were born in August, and the zoo has reopened the viewing tunnel so visitors can watch them.

The cubs are being cared for by their mother, Taia. Their sex is not yet known, so they have not been named. Zoo communications manager Anita Tamm said the animals may be resting or hidden in their den, so visitors may need patience to see them.

The viewing tunnel was closed after the cubs were born to give Taia and her young peace and quiet. Tamm said that if the mother senses danger, she may try to move the cubs to a safer place and could accidentally injure them. Keepers have not yet caught the cubs.

The cubs are three months old and could stay with their parents until they are a year old. The zoo will need to find them a new home during that time. Their parents, Taia and Thamani, arrived in Tallinn from zoos in France in the summer of 2023. These are Taia’s first cubs.

Striped hyena cubs were last seen at Tallinn Zoo 17 years ago. In 2009, a litter of three was raised in the zoo’s nursery.

Striped hyenas live in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. Unlike spotted hyenas, which live in large groups, striped hyenas tend to live alone and are more reserved. They eat carcasses and can chew bones with their strong jaws. Tamm said their scavenging helps limit the spread of disease and pollution of water bodies.

The species is declining in the wild, with habitat loss and poisoning of carcasses among the threats. Tamm said the animals’ poor reputation can lead people to poison carcasses, killing hyenas.