A Spotlight on Stripes

Lending tigers a helping paw in conservation

August 29, 2025*

In the dappled light of the forest, a flash of orange, black, and white moves like a shadow. Tigers are masters of contradiction: boldly striped yet perfectly camouflaged. Their striking colors actually help them blend seamlessly into the tall grasses and dense foliage of their native habitats. Even more interestingly, each tiger sports a completely unique stripe pattern. No two are alike.

The largest big cats have some other fascinating traits that set them apart from the rest of their feline cousins. They’re natural swimmers with excellent night vision, both of which help make them expert hunters. And when they do catch their next meal, tigers can carry prey twice their body weight 10 feet up into a tree.

Unfortunately, despite their incredible adaptations, tigers face a fragile future. All six subspecies of tigers across the globe are endangered due to threats including wildlife trafficking, habitat loss, and challenges related to human-wildlife coexistence. The good news is we’re working with partners across the globe to secure their striped future.

In Sumatra, trail cameras are used to locate and identify wildlife, including tigers. | Credit: © BKSDA West Sumatra, SINTAS, and SDZWA

Digital Pawprint

With only an estimated 400-600 Sumatran tigers remaining in native habitat, protecting each one is paramount. Through our Asia Conservation Hub, we’re using cutting-edge advanced monitoring technology, like drones, to detect and prevent possible challenges to human-wildlife coexistence so that all who share these ecosystems can thrive.

These drones soar above croplands throughout Sumatra, carrying a thermal sensor that uses tigers’ heat signatures to reveal their locations. If and when a tiger is detected too close to communities, the field team can quickly dispatch mitigation measures to keep both people and tigers safe.

GPS collar tracking is another technological conservation game-changer. Our team placed a tracking collar on an adult tiger when they were translocated away from a local community and to the province of West Sumatra. During the following months, monitoring the tiger showed that they moved, establishing a new territory over 130 kilometers (80 miles) away from the release site. While more data needs to be collected to fully understand the factors influencing translocation outcomes, this information is crucial to finding solutions for human-wildlife coexistence as tigers and people continue to share spaces.

Tigers leave behind traces of their DNA through their pawprints, scent marks, and even when they deposit scat.

Tiger Tracks

Efforts to save, protect, and care for these big cats continues back at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Here our expert teams non-invasively collect DNA samples from tigers we care for as part of a long-term collaborative conservation program. All living things are constantly shedding their DNA into their environment. Tigers slough off traces of their DNA in their pawprints as they walk, while they seasonally shed fur, regularly deposit scat, and as they mark their territories with pungent scent marks. They even shed DNA on the prey they eat and in the water they drink.

Of course, it’s easier to collect the samples at the Safari Park than in native habitats, where tigers can be difficult to locate and where the elements—wind, sun, and rain—quickly degrade DNA. The samples we’re able to collect are analyzed and used to create DNA profiles. While our teams are still figuring out the data’s limitless potential, the samples begin to help us understand global populations and genetic diversity of critically endangered Sumatran tigers. It's detective work at its finest, expanding scientific boundaries to solve complicated conservation puzzles.

With only an estimated 400-600 Sumatran tigers remaining in native habitat, every birth is a beacon of hope for the critically endangered species' future.

All Paws In

Over the last few years, we’ve celebrated the births of three Sumatran tiger cubs at the Safari Park—dynamic duo Puteri and Hutan, and, most recently, Barong. These adorable arrivals represent far more than just cute faces: they’re critical additions to the global population and beacons of hope for their critically endangered species.

Tigers are crucial for healthy, thriving ecosystems and maintain the delicate balance of their native habitats. Wildlife allies like you can help Sumatran tigers without ever needing to travel to Asia. When you choose products made with sustainable palm oil, you’re helping protect the landscapes that tigers rely on. Your visits to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park also help safeguard their future. Most importantly, you can spread awareness about them and their conservation needs in your everyday life. Together, we’re making a difference for tigers, one day at a time.

Join us in making a real impact for tiger conservation — every purchase from our Tiger Collection helps support San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s mission in the Asian Conservation Hub and beyond. Whether you sport one of the bold t-shirts or sip your morning brew in a stylish mug, your choice sends a message: tigers matter. Plush toys and stuffed animals let children fall in love with these majestic creatures, while hats and caps turn heads and raise awareness for these big cats. Grab something you love, give a gift, or treat your home — and know that with each purchase, you’re part of something bigger. Shop now to show your stripes and wear your support. Help us ensure that tigers thrive for generations to come!

*As seen on San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's Story Hub.