The male is called Seatao - a combination of
Sean and Tao (JV and Gillian's two boys) - and the female is called Shadow. Seatao achieved his first kill, a cape hare,
at just 8 weeks.
I have changed the training method
slightly for Seatao and Shadow. Instead of the hands-on
personal method we used with Ron and Julie, I am fencing off
a 200ha area stocked with game and allowing them to catch
their own prey within the enclosure.
At the end of the experiment, we will be
able to compare the two methods from a cost, efficiency and
safety point of view.
Both Seatao and Shadow are
white gene
carriers, as are Ron and Julie. Therefore a mating between Ron
and Shadow & Seatao and Julie could produce the first free-ranging white tiger cub in the wilds.