Palm Beach Zoo Receives New Tiger, Now Houses Four Adult Tigers For First Time

Bumi, a four-year-old male Malayan tiger whose name means “earth” in Indonesian, joined the Palm Beach Zoo as its newest resident on December 10, 2014, bringing the number of adult tigers at the Zoo to four for the first time.

For the first time ever, the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is home to four adult tigers. The Zoo has been home to Keemasan Mata, a nine-year-old male Malayan tiger, Berapi Api, an eleven-year-old female Malayan tiger, and Angin, a four-year-old male Malayan tiger.

Bumi, a four-year-old male Malayan tiger whose name means “earth” in Indonesian, joined the Zoo as its newest resident on December 10, 2014. Bumi comes to West Palm Beach from Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo. With the addition of Bumi, the Zoo is making “tiger history.”

Other milestones for the Zoo include Angin’s public debut, as well as completion of and debut of tigers in a new section of the Henry & Charlotte Kimelman Tiger Habitat, which has been under construction for nearly a year. Angin made his public debut in the Zoo’s “Tiger Falls” habitat on December 16^th. The Zoo’s first Tiger Talk in the new “Tiger River” habitat section occurred on December 18^th and featured Berapi Api.

Bumi’s transition from Tampa to West Palm Beach is part of a recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP) for Malayan tigers. The Zoo will house Bumi in the Zoo’s Melvin J. & Claire Levine Animal Care Complex for a minimum of 30 days, after which he will move to the Tiger Falls habitat. Officials have not yet set a date for Bumi’s public debut.

The Zoo is expanding the tiger habitat to double its original size. This expansion project is supported by the Zoo’s newest corporate sponsor, Braman Motorcars Palm Beach & Jupiter. The company’s sponsorship is helping continue the Zoo’s commitment to providing quality care and a natural habitat for its resident tigers. A grand opening ceremony for the new section of the tiger habitat will be scheduled in 2015.

“This is historic for us,” explained Nancy Nill, associate curator for the Zoo. “We are excited to welcome our fourth Malayan tiger, Bumi, and make Zoo history by keeping four adult tigers on grounds all at once. Because the tiger habitat has doubled in size, we are now able to house this many adult tigers. This is a huge step for us, and it is a good feeling to know we are expanding our role in Malayan tiger conservation.”

“Even though Bumi is not recommended to breed at the moment, by having the space to hold him, we are allowing other institutions to be able to breed,” Nill continued. “This provides a greater chance for the captive population to increase.”

The Zoo is a recognized leader in Species Survival Plan breeding programs for Malayan tigers, with three male Malayan tiger cubs, Jaya, Bunga and Penari, born at the Zoo in 2011. The wild Malayan tiger population has recently been estimated at fewer than 250 animals. Malayan tigers are the most endangered of the tiger subspecies, and they are among the smallest of the tiger species. Malayan tigers are indigenous to the Malay Peninsula, for which they are named. Initially, decline in tiger numbers was primarily due to a tremendous loss of habitat. More recently, the greater threat has been from poaching for its body parts, persecution by angry villagers, and starvation as their prey is over-harvested.

The Zoo is located at 1301 Summit Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org.

 

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

New: Moral Compass: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

moralcompasstravel.info

Check out our newest travel site for special deals, insiders’ tips at tidbitts.com: http://www.tidbitts.com/karen-rubin/where-in-the-world

MURDER MYSTERY ABOARD THE SEMINOLE GULF DINNER TRAIN

Tawnie Murdock and Timothy J. Gunderman in character outside the Seminole Gulf Railway vintage train cars © 2010 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.

It’s more Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis than Agatha Christie but the mystery dinner train in Fort Myers, Florida, presented by the Fay Family for two decades, is a rollicking, rolling fun evening that comes with a surprisingly fine meal. Set aboard four vintage train cars of the Seminole Gulf Railway from the 1930s and 1950s (the bathroom has been redone) accommodating up to 200 passengers, even the wait staff has amusing banter – and their service is incredibly attentive.

The trip incorporates what is best about the “golden age” of train travel – the elegant dining car, the rumble and clack-clack of the train on the tracks, the whistle that fades on the air, and even though it is nighttime, outside lights let you see some of the scenery, though the glow of the city in the distance and some reflection on the canal adjacent to the tracks offers the most scenic views.

The meal is first-class, starting off with cheese and crackers and fresh fruit, a soup (the mushroom barley was delectable), a choice of salad (very fresh ingredients) or fresh fruit cup, and a choice of entrée- the prime rib was perfection, the Shrimp Dijon extremely tasty and the Chicken Francesca done with flare, ending off with a dessert. Drinks including a fine selection of wines and beers (even soda, iced tea and coffee) are extra.

The “murder mystery” comes in the form of a theatrical entertainment with four or five characters, who come in between courses to perform scenes. They perform in the aisle, engaging passengers in the play. The cast was extremely professional and personable. At the end, one person in each car who solves the mystery and gives the best rationale, wins a prize. Altogether a delightful night at the dinner-theater-train. Murder is on the menu on Wednesdays-Sundays, boarding at 6 p.m. return at 10 p.m. ($59 pp); an educational1 ¾ hour excursion is also available. Departs the Colonial Station (239-275-8487, 800-SEM-GULF, http://www.semgulf.com).

More about the train and Lee County/Fort Myers, Florida at www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate.

Wende Gilmore and John Repa play a “scene” from “A Killer Act” onboard the Seminole Gulf Railway Dinner Train Theater © 2010 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.