03/10/2025
A tigress named Sai Mai, who lived at the Sriracha Tiger Zoo, lost her cubs shortly after giving birth. Like many animals, she went into mourning, becoming restless and distressed without her young. To help her recover emotionally, zookeepers decided to try something unusual—they introduced her to a litter of piglets. To make the meeting less intimidating, the piglets were dressed in little tiger-striped cloths.
A tigress named Sai Mai, who lived at the Sriracha Tiger Zoo, lost her cubs shortly after giving birth. Like many animals, she went into mourning, becoming restless and distressed without her young. To help her recover emotionally, zookeepers decided to try something unusual—they introduced her to a litter of piglets. To make the meeting less intimidating, the piglets were dressed in little tiger-striped cloths.
To everyone’s surprise, Sai Mai didn’t reject them. Instead, her maternal instincts took over, and she began grooming, nursing, and protecting the piglets as if they were her own cubs. The piglets, in turn, treated her like their mother, snuggling up to her for warmth and safety.
The images of a massive tigress tenderly cuddling tiny striped piglets captured worldwide attention. Beyond the visual charm, the story touched many because it showed how grief, healing, and nurturing can transcend species. It became a powerful example of the unexpected bonds that can form in nature, even between predator and prey.