Bakso the Sumatran tiger turns two and will leave Animal Kingdom this fall
Bakso, the Sumatran tiger born at Disney's Animal Kingdom in September 2024, has turned two and will move to another AZA-accredited zoo later this fall on a Species Survival Plan recommendation. With fewer than 600 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, he could father cubs there. Guests can still see him on Maharajah Jungle Trek until he goes.
Bakso, the Sumatran tiger who grew up in front of guests on Maharajah Jungle Trek, has turned two, and he will leave Disney's Animal Kingdom later this fall. Disney says he is moving to another zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, where he could one day father cubs of his own.
Key Details
- Who: Bakso, a male Sumatran tiger born in September 2024 to Sohni and Conrad
- Where to see him now: Maharajah Jungle Trek, Asia, Disney's Animal Kingdom
- Leaving: Later this fall, for another AZA-accredited zoo (not yet named)
- Why: A recommendation from the AZA's Species Survival Plan
- Wild population: Fewer than 600 Sumatran tigers
Bakso's second birthday and his move
Bakso has spent the past two years on Maharajah Jungle Trek, the walking trail through the Asia section of Disney's Animal Kingdom, where guests watched him go from a small cub to a young adult. He has been seen splashing in a pool, pouncing on enrichment items and growing into his stripes, and his birthday celebration included two of his favorite things, ice treats and goat's milk.
The second birthday is also a send-off. Disney announced that Bakso will move to another AZA-accredited zoo later this fall. Neither the destination nor a departure date has been announced.
The move has a breeding purpose. Sumatran tigers are critically endangered, with fewer than 600 left in the wild, and at his new home Bakso could father cubs that add to the population in human care.
From cub to young adult on Maharajah Jungle Trek
Bakso was born in September 2024 to his mother, Sohni, and his father, Conrad, and he quickly became a fan favorite from his first public appearances. Disney describes him today as a curious, adventurous young tiger.
A few facts Disney shared about him and his species:
- His name comes from the Indonesian word for "meatball."
- Sumatran tigers are carnivores, and the park's tigers eat meals prepared at Disney's Animal Nutrition Center.
- No two tigers have the same stripe pattern.
Leaving home is also normal tiger behavior. Young tigers become more independent as they mature and eventually set up territories of their own, so Disney presents the move as a natural next step now that Bakso is an adult.
Why the Species Survival Plan is moving him
The transfer follows a recommendation from the AZA's Species Survival Plan. The program has accredited zoos work together to care for endangered animals in human care, and its recommendations on which animals move where and which are paired for breeding are how it keeps those populations healthy over generations.
Disney tied Bakso's story to its wider tiger work. According to Disney, the Disney Conservation Fund has given more than $4.5 million since 1995 to 15 organizations that work with local communities to protect tigers and their forest habitats, as part of the company's Disney Planet Possible commitment.
The cast members behind his care
Disney credits dozens of animal care specialists, including veterinarians, nutritionists and keepers, with raising a healthy cub, from preparing his meals to adjusting his habitat.
One of them is Sarah, an animal keeper who handles the daily care, feeding, enrichment and health monitoring of the tigers on Maharajah Jungle Trek.
"I've always wanted to work with tigers, and it's a dream to be able to work with a baby tiger like Bakso," Sarah said. "I've learned so much watching him learn, grow, and reach amazing milestones."
Michelle, a Behavioral Husbandry Manager, helps the keepers work with Bakso and his mother, Sohni, work that began before he was born. She helps teach Bakso to take part in his own health checks, which builds trust between the tiger and his keepers, and she helps design parts of his habitat and the enrichment activities meant to draw out natural behaviors. Watching how he reacts to each one is how she has come to know his personality.
"People don't realize how different every tiger's personality truly is," Michelle said. "The best part of my role is getting a front row seat to all of the small moments that shape Bakso's personality."
Seeing Bakso before he leaves: no departure date beyond "later this fall"
Bakso is still on Maharajah Jungle Trek, and Disney says guests have time to visit him there before he goes. Disney has given no date more precise than later this fall and has not named his new zoo, so anyone hoping to see him should plan the walk soon rather than wait for a farewell announcement.