Week 250 ( 6th – 12th June 2008 )

The cubs become a handful and discipline is enforced

The cubs are as fascinated by adult company as much as the adults are amused by the cubs. Their particular favourite idol is TigerWoods who cannot get enough of them. Were he not in another enclosure, and didn’t have other pressing needs to take care of, I am sure he would have offered to baby sit. Failing TigerWoods, 327 also makes an acceptable second best. At practically every opportunity the cubs leave their mother’s immediate presence and wonder off to the fence and chuff at their neighbour who reciprocates in kind. Whilst the adoring adult is watching, the cubs chase one another around and jump in mock surprise when “attacked” by their sibling. Cathay can call and call to no avail, so in the end has to go and fetch them away by force, usually by the scruff of the neck, but this last week they have become increasingly heavy and are usually dragged away. Failing any other adults to entertain, the cubs play on their mother.

On Tuesday one of the cubs had found a piece of bark near a tree stump. The cub tried to jump up to the top of the stump with the piece of bark in it’s mouth. After several unsuccessful attempts it was finally on top. No sooner did it put the piece of bark down when it fell off and the cub had to repeat the whole process all over again. This was no longer funny after the third time so the cub gave up and lay by Cathay, totally worn out from all the exertion.

Wednesday saw Cathay feeding on one side of her prey whilst one of the other cubs was following her example on the opposite side the other was continually interfering where Cathay was eating. The cub repeatedly ignored growled warnings continuing to pester his mother. When Cathay could take it no longer she pushed it out of the way with her front foot, The cub also paid no heed. Cathay then lost all patience with the disobedient cub and snapped at it growling at the same time. Realising that it had overstepped the boundary, the cub retreated to a safe distance and chewed on a stick instead. Whilst this was going on, the well behaved sibling continued to eat.

Although Hulooo has enough toys to keep himself amused he seems to prefer the company of his humans, quite often nagging incessantly until someone goes to talk to him. I ignored him on one occasion and he retreated to his pole shelter with the sulks and would not answer me when I gave him my version of a chuff.