Tiger gives birth to twins but 1 cub isn't breathing, so mother’s natural instincts kick in

A Sumatran tiger in an Australian Zoo saved one of her newly-born twins by vigorously licking him and stimulating his little lungs in the process.

A video shared on BBC’s YouTube channel shows Kaitlyn the tiger licking the first cub after he was born, an act that encourages newborn cubs to start breathing on their own.

But the first cub continues to gasp for air even as Kaitlyn licks her for about two minutes already. The keepers worried that the cub might die if they didn’t intervene. Follow us on our Twitter account, @amomama_usa, to learn more and scroll down to watch the video below.

The cub lets out a squeak or two. Kaitlyn continues to lick him until he is able to pull in a full breath of air, to her relief and the keepers’. After a short while, the cub’s twin brother is also born.

ENDANGERED SPECIES

It’s a moment of joy for the keepers, considering that the Sumatran tiger is one of the most critically endangered animals in the world.

There are only 400-600 wild Sumatran tigers left in the world, according to recent estimates. Conservationist programs are now in place to ensure they don’t go extinct. Among the measures is to carefully monitor the tiger’s birth to ensure success.

The video of Kaitlyn’s delivery has amassed almost 42 million views on YouTube since it was posted on July 20, 2015.

“As they say in The Lion King even though it's a tiger, 'Welcome to the Circle Of Life,'” commented Josephson Ognita.

“Such a beautiful animal!! Tigers are so amazing and we need to save every tiger we can!!” wrote Ryan Moeller.

“I almost shed a tear as the mother gave birth to twins as tigers have been my all-time favorite animal. It’s a shame that there's small number of them left,” commented Nayem Rahman.

COMFORT FROM ANOTHER SPECIES

In another viral video, a group of cubs made up of tigers, lion, and hyenas can be seen finding solace in the care of a golden retriever at a zoo in China. Their mothers have abandoned them.

The staff at Beijing Wildlife Park placed two Siberian tigers, two spotted hyenas, a white tiger, and an African lion together so they could nurse with the dog.

They would all spend time and bond together along with the golden retriever’s puppies. Soon enough, they have developed an unusual friendship.