We got close enough to see the tiger’s breath! Click to enlarge and see for yourself. If I had to come home from vacation, I must admit this was a very good way to do it!!

The Sumatran Tigers are in a brand new, outdoor, 5.2 acre, multi-level exhibit at The San Diego Safari (Wild Animal) Park. The exhibit houses breeding tigers and is filled with trees, plants, waterfalls, streams and ponds.
There are currently approximately 400 Sumatran Tigers left in the wild.

There were originally nine sub-species of tigers in our world, but three of these are now extinct due to habitat destruction and poaching. All tiger sub-species are critically endangered.

Poachers kill Sumatran Tigers for their bones which are used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine.

The San Diego Zoo and Park supports tiger conservation by breeding tigers to insure genetic diversity through cooperative exchange. It also actively supports The International Rhino Foundation whose mission is to protect Sumatran rhinos, tigers and other mammals in Indonesia, with seven trained patrol units that deactivate snares and traps, and apprehend poachers.

It is painful to contemplate killing such magnificent creatures, much less wiping out whole sub-species. Hopefully the efforts of the San Diego Zoo to conserve and educate will help to prevent further destruction.
For more info check out: http://www.sandiegozooglobal.org/ICR/purpose
My son volunteered for the non-profit ICR and can attest to the cutting edge work they do daily in species conservation.
Cheers to you from these incredible animals at Tiger Trails~