Zambar the Amur Tiger is all smiles now his new mate has moved in at Blackpool Zoo! Alyona, who is four years old, arrived from her birthplace Safaripark Beekse Bergen in the Netherlands on Tuesday 18th September and is currently settling into her new home in the Big Cat house.

Over the coming weeks Zambar and Alyona will be gradually introduced and keepers are hoping for the pitter patter of tiny stripy feet in the not-too-distant future. Zambar came to Blackpool in 2010 from Marwell Wildlife, where he was born and hand reared by keepers after being rejected by his mother.

Jude Rothwell, Marketing and PR Coordinator at Blackpool Zoo said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Alyona to the zoo and she has been an instant hit with keepers. “Thousands of our visitors have taken Zambar to their hearts and I know that they have been looking forward to meeting his new mate. “Alyona is absolutely beautiful and seeing them both out in the paddock promises to be a majestic sight!

“Until then, everyone can see her in the Big Cat house where she is settling in very nicely.” The Amur Tiger is the largest member of the big cat family and is an endangered species. There are only around 500 Amur Tigers left in the wild and they are found in isolated populations around the Amur river valley in the far east of Russia and on China’s north east border. The remaining wild population continues to be under threat due to habitat loss and poaching.

Blackpool Zoo is open every day of the year except Christmas Day. Current opening hours are 10.00am until 5.45pm and last admission is 5.00pm. Visitors can save on admission prices by booking online at www.blackpoolzoo.org.uk.