The Memphis Zoo wants help naming two newborn tiger cubs.
Two Sumatran tiger cubs were born Aug. 12 at the Memphis Zoo to parents Dari and Badar. The Memphis Zoo shared the news at halftime of the University of Memphis' first home football game of the season.
"The arrival of the cubs came with a surprise of its own," read a Memphis Zoo webpage on the cubs. "Throughout Dari’s ultrasounds, our animal health team could only definitively confirm one cub in utero. So when she gave birth and a second cub made her unexpected entrance, it was a very welcome surprise!"
The cubs are currently "behind the scenes" with Dari, their mother, where they can bond with her and grow stronger in a quiet, protecting environment. The two cubs and their mother are all
doing well, according to the zoo.
The potential names were inspired by Dolly Parton, Tim Curry, the surprise of the second cub and the total solar eclipse that occurred on the day of the cubs' birth. All six options were derived from the Indonesian language — Sumatran tigers are native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Voting began Sept. 5 and closes Sept. 15. Voters can choose their two favorite names on the zoo's website and the zoo will announce the winning names during the next Memphis Tigers home game on Sept. 19.
You can also check out the zoo's Cub Cam at the same link to see a live feed of the two cubs.
Jack Armstrong covers breaking news and the environment for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at jack.armstrong@commercialappeal.com and followed on X @jca2902.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Should Memphis Zoo name a tiger cub after Dolly Parton? You decide
