Tiger cub to make his debut at zoo

A tiger cub at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will make his public debut Friday.

Twice a day - from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m., weather permitting - 8-week-old Zoya can be seen in a special outdoor exhibit at the Monkey Pavilion.

The rare and endangered Amur tiger cub was born June 19 to Helga and George. Helga lost interest in the cub just after it was born and it has been cared for by the zoo staff. Staff members have reared the cub according to recommendations from the Species Survival Plan, which calls for the tiger to spend time in a home with a dog, according to a news release from the zoo. So, Zoya has spent nights at a zoo staff member's home interacting with an Australian shepherd named Sam.

The tiger weighs in at roughly 14 pounds but will grow to be about 300 pounds. Amur tigers are the world's largest cat and are threatened with extinction, the release said.