A three-year-old female golden tiger at a zoo in Thailand is making waves on the internet for its cuteness. The photo of the tigress, named Ava, was shared by Chiang Mai Night Safari in northern Thailand on its Facebook page on November 19, and it amassed thousands of likes and shares within days. Ava's photo was released three weeks after the online debut of its sister Luna. Both were born on February 16, 2021. The animals are giving tough fight to baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng.
South China Morning Post (SCMP) said in a report that the parents of Ava and Luna were brought to the safari park from the Czech Republic and South Africa in July 2015.
Golden tigers are a rare variant of the Bengal tiger characterised by a recessive colour-changing gene.
The SCMP report said that only 30 golden tigers exist in captivity in the world, fewer than white tigers that number 200.
Zoo authorities describe Ava is playful and sociable and is friendly towards children, in stark contrast with its predator image.
The photos have attracted a lot of comments on social media.
"Her face is so sweet," one user posted on Facebook. "She looks so clean, as if she takes 10 baths a day," commented another.
"First Moo Deng, now Ava? Thailand is winning the cutest animals award," a third user said.
The Nation Thailand reported that the growing popularity of these tigers has doubled the number of visitors eager to witness their charm first-hand.
