SYDNEY, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Two Sumatran tigers will arrive at their new home at the Tasmania Zoo on Wednesday, making the brother and sister pair the first of their kind to arrive in the Australian state.
Travelling from Symbio Wildlife Park near Sydney, Cinta and Jalur are both 10 years old and originally came to Australia from New Zealand's Auckland Zoo when they were just two.
"Cinta, the female, can change moods every single day," Symbio Wildlife Park handler Julia Mendezona told local media.
"She's a challenge to work with, but being accepted into her inner circle is a really big reward."
"Jalur, our male, he's big and a bit of a brute but he's pretty happy as long as he has a full belly."
Although the duo are no strangers to long-distance travel, the logistics of moving the endangered species is critical, with just 300 Sumatran tigers left in existence.
Riding in specially designed crates for the journey across the Bass Strait, the big cats will also be accompanied by several vets, in case anything goes wrong.
"They are well trained, so we are hoping for a smooth transition," head keeper at Tasmania Zoo Emma Morgan explained.
"They've been conditioned to their crates so hopefully they won't stress out too much in there."
Native to the tropical Indonesian Island of Sumatra, the siblings will unfortunately be met by icey Tasmanian weather when they arrive, so Morgan and her team have made some special modifications to the pair's new enclosure.
"They do have nice heated dens, comfy beds and they have a nice thick coat as well, it shouldn't affect them too much too," Morgan said.
On top of this, the tigers will also have their own swimming pool to use when the weather heats up in summer.
Handlers said they hope the revered creatures will help educate the zoo's thousands of visitors each year about the devastating effects illegal poaching and habitat destruction can have on wild populations.
