Amur tiger cubs named after Andy Murray

Murray, front, and Viktor, the Amur tiger cubs named in honour of Andy Murray's Wimbledon triumph. Picture: Peter Jolly

Scotland’s rare Amur tiger cubs have been named after Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.

With Murray’s historical success in mind, tiger keepers at the Highland Wildlife Park have decided to join in the celebrations and name their two new male tiger cubs “Murray” and “Viktor” in honour of his victory.

The two feline arrivals got worldwide press coverage when they were unveiled last week. Born on the 29th May, the two boys were actually just sexed today.

Una Richardson, Carnivore Head Keeper at the Highland Wildlife Park, said: “Our two beautiful new Amur tiger cubs were checked over, and we discovered first time mum Dominika had given birth to two males. With last night’s victory fresh in our minds, we just couldn’t resist naming them in celebration.

The cubs pictured last month. Picture: Hemedia

“Although we have used Russian names for our previous tiger births, it is an honour to be able to name one of our newest arrivals after Andy Murray and pay homage to his remarkable achievement.”

Amur tigers, the largest member of the big cat family, are endangered with approximately 350-450 individuals left. Murray and Viktor will play a crucial role in maintaining a sustainable captive population, which acts as a long term insurance policy for their wild living counterparts.