Bakso the Sumatran Tiger Cub Makes His Public Debut at Disney's Animal Kingdom

18 days ago in "Maharajah Jungle Trek"

Posted: Wednesday January 29, 2025 10:20am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

After months of anticipation, Bakso, the rare Sumatran tiger cub born at Disney's Animal Kingdom, has officially made his debut on the Maharajah Jungle Trek.

Guests can now see Bakso exploring his new habitat alongside his mother, Sohni, marking a major milestone in his development and Disney's ongoing commitment to wildlife conservation.

First Steps into His New Home

Since his birth, Bakso has been growing under the watchful eye of Animal Kingdom's animal care team. Now, after months of behind-the-scenes care and preparation, he is ready to take his place on the Maharajah Jungle Trek, giving guests an up-close look at one of the world's most endangered big cats. With fewer than 600 Sumatran tigers remaining in the wild and in managed care, Bakso's presence represents an important step in the global effort to protect the species.

Guests visiting the trail may catch Bakso exploring his new environment, playing with enrichment items, or learning from Sohni.

A Win for Conservation

Bakso's birth at Animal Kingdom was a major success for the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to protect endangered species through responsible breeding efforts. His arrival has been celebrated as part of Disney's broader conservation efforts, which include ongoing work with the Disney Conservation Fund to protect tigers in the wild.

Where to See Bakso

You can visit Bakso and Sohni on the Maharajah Jungle Trek at Disney's Animal Kingdom. His time on the trail will vary based on his needs and natural rhythms, so guests hoping to catch a glimpse may want to check in with Cast Members for updates on his schedule.

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    JohnD5 days ago

    Wait. People actually want to do the animal walk throughs? 🐯🐅 If you listen to park commandos, there are not enough attractions in AK, making it the worst of the four parks. Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just repeating a common "complaint."

    Agent H17 days ago

    Really that’s interesting I did not know that

    Captain Barbossa17 days ago

    Not sure where the surprise by the amount of attention is coming from. When the twins were born in 2017, crowds were huge. Then again, that was the 1st tiger birth ever at AK, but still. This was just the 2nd and it took 7 years for it to happen. The amount of attention and large crowds is expected and very much warranted.

    DCBaker17 days ago

    Disney has shared video of baby Bakso making his on-stage debut:

    Agent H17 days ago

    I am very pleasantly surprised by the attention this has gotten I was thinking yesterday about how he will come out and no one will care meanwhile I’ve been reading about him in the parks blog for months I did not have time to watch the videos sadly

    Sirwalterraleigh17 days ago

    No I hear that… Its shocking it took 200 years for enough people to say “oh crap…we’ve almost killed them all…let’s get some in zoos” Abusive animals…we are

    Alice a17 days ago

    For me, at least, it depresses me that so many of these types of animals are endangered/threatened and can’t live freely in the wild in their natural habitats because of human action. That’s sad. Petting zoos, on the other hand, are fine 😉

    Sirwalterraleigh18 days ago

    Cute little stinker… I will never understand those that can’t appreciate a zoo…not only from the research side…but animals have an innocence that should make all humans jealous This combined with the panda coverage in DC makes it a good week

    DCBakerNov 12, 2024

    Disney has a new weekly YouTube series focusing on a behind-the-scenes look at Bakso and Sohni as they gets ready for his big debut on the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Episode one premieres in 5 minutes:

    CompedOct 20, 2024

    Now I want a plushie...