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The tigers were a goodwill gesture from the North Carolina Conservators’ Center, a breeding sanctuary for endangered species.
\”We are building trust with America,\” said Dr. Adel Salman Mousa, the zoo’s director. \”We’re building trust with a society that trusted us to care for these animals.\”
The cubs are just under 2 years old and weigh more than 150 pounds each. The Bengal tiger is an endangered species, with less than 3,000 worldwide.
\”We hope to bring smiles back to the people and the children,\” Mousa said. \”We want to put smiles back on their faces after years of misery. In addition to the enjoyment people will get from watching them, they will present opportunities for students and the public to learn about this and other endangered species.\”
\”This is exemplary of how people in Iraq are taking the lead to improve the circumstances in Iraq,\” said Army Capt. Jason Felix, 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), whose unit was in charge of tiger transport following their Aug. 4 arrival at Baghdad International Airport.
Transporting the tigers here from the states cost more than $66,000 and was paid for by the U.S. Embassy.
Concerns have arisen about the safety of the tigers in a combat zone. During the early days of the liberation of Iraq in 2003, the zoo lost many of its animals to injury or starvation, including its tiger, which was shot when it began attacking a U.S. soldier. It was also difficult to maintain the zoo for many years prior to 2003 because of lack of medicine, vaccinations and often food, Mousa said.
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