The two-year-old male tiger, named Dao, was brought from Zoo Krefeld in Germany as a member of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP). Less than 350 Sumatran tigers are believed to still exist in the wild, making them one of the rarest tigers in the world.

In 2008, the International Union for Conservation of Nature designated it as severely endangered.

Julien Fonteneau, the chief ranger at Fota Wildlife Park, stated that the tiger was gradually introduced to his new environment after arriving at the park earlier this month.

"We're delighted to say that he is settling in really well," he stated. "Tigers may be sent to different zoological parks to mate with new individuals in order to maintain genetic diversity within the EEP breeding program.

"Jambi, a resident female tiger that arrived from Heidelberg Zoo in Germany in February 2023, has been handpicked to be coupled with Dao.

"We hope they will both play a key part in global tiger conservation." Jambi and Dao will be "gradually acclimatised to each other," he stated.

"We are very excited about the prospect of future cubs," he continued, adding that the latest tiger birth at Fota Wildlife Park occurred in 2019.