BAKSO ' s first day on the Maharajah Jungle Trek Was Jan . 29 , 2025 .
BAKSO is an indonesian word that means meatball .
BAKSO ' s first day on the Maharajah Jungle Trek Was Jan . 29 , 2025 .
At just over four months old , Bakso stepped into his habitat for the first time , alongside mom Sohni . The two now prowl the area each day . PHOTO BY ANDREW JERZEWSKI
NUANCED NEWBORN CARE The Animal Care team tailors newborn care not simply to the species but to the individual animal . Sumatran tiger Sohni , who recently gave birth to adorable cub Bakso , is an experienced mom . In other words , Sohni knows what she ’ s doing — and the Animal Care team knows that . So to ensure her keepers maintain a positive relationship with her , they create a care plan for Bakso they know will make Sohni feel comfortable .
BAKSO is an indonesian word that means meatball .
So does this hands-off approach mean no regular baby tiger cuddles for the keepers ? For the most part , yes . They ’ ll have to be content with squealing at the cuteness from a respectful distance — species will only be handled by vets or keepers when it ’ s medically necessary . Disney shared one such story with us :
Harper , a white-cheeked gibbon , was born via C-section due to being in a breech position . This means she was positioned with her feet facing down instead of her head , which posed dangerous complications for both her and her mom Melaka . Harper was given the opportunity to nurse directly after birth and was then hand-reared for two days while her mom recovered from surgery . During this time , Harper was kept in view of mom and keepers provided physical comfort as well as routinely giving formula . She was first reintroduced to mom , then a few days later , introduced to dad and finally to her older siblings . All of these introductions were visually monitored by Animal Care teams to ensure a safe environment with natural social behaviors .
Outside of emergency interventions like Harper ’ s delivery , the first introduction to human contact for an animal typically comes in the form of a neonatal exam , which allows the care team to establish the overall health of an animal and ensure they are meeting proper growth milestones .
Bakso represents an important part of ongoing conservation efforts to support Sumatran tiger populations . PHOTO BY ANDREW JERZEWSKI