Kirana was 15 years old when she arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary from Chester Zoo in January 2022. A decision was taken to move her to the peace and tranquillity of the Sanctuary for her benefit but also to give enclosure space at Chester to accommodate the residents there. We work with our fellow zoos to give the best possible welfare for the animals in our care.
She has been a very important member of the accredited cor-ordinated breeding programmes for Sumatran tigers, by contributing the the genetics three times. Kirana successfully produced cubs in 2011, 2013 and 2015. She has played a vital part in the protection of the critically endangered Sumatran tiger species and will be living out her retirement years at The Big Cat Sanctuary.
The name Kirana is of Indonesian origin and means beautiful sunbeam, a fitting name for such a stunning tiger. She is known to enjoy pole-feeds during her time at Chester Zoo which the keeping team at the Sanctuary will continue to provide for her.
This beautiful cat has of course found a favourite spot to relax in, she is often seen watching the world go by in the shade of her shelter.
All cats are given plenty of time to settle in after their arrival, this happens at very different rates. Kirana loves a hand feed so her love of chicken drums helped her to gain confidence in the team. This continued to grow and she is now a very vocal cat who is seen by lots who visit.
