The Nate-ure Report: Meet the rare Malayan tiger, the biggest cat of ’em all

EL PASO, Texas - "The Nate-ure Report" has given you the jaguar and lion, but now ABC-7's Nate Ryan hangs out with the largest cat in the world, the tiger.

The El Paso Zoo is home to Seri, a Malayan tiger. And although Malayan tigers are the smallest in the tiger family, they still can weigh up to 400 pounds.

Seri is celebrating her 12th birthday at the Zoo and to celebrate, zoo staff made her a cake consisting of frozen blood.

“We just freeze it with a little bit of water and we give it to them," says Katie Roberston, zookeeper at the ElPaso Zoo. "We made a really large blood pop for her. And then made a couple other layers of frozen items as well, with some chicken that she gets as enrichment once a week as well as fish."

Malayan tigers are masters of disguise in the forest of Southeast Asia, blending into the trees and patches of sunlight that cut through the forest.

Tigers are solitary animals, meaning they hunt and soend most of their time alone.

Malayan tigers specifically are critically endangered. But as part of the Species Survival Plan, Seri may not be alone in El Paso for too long. 

“We actually plan to get a male and hopefully produce cubs," adds Robertson.

There had been a male tiger lined up to join Seri in El Paso, but the coronavirus pandemic forced staff to table that decision.

"It has been postponed for now because of this whole pandemic. But as soon as it’s over and we’re available to, we will be continuing with those plans to get a male in,” says Robertson.

Until then, Seri will be waiting in the shadows at the El Paso Zoo.

Catch "The Nate-ure Report" weekdays on ABC-7 at 6.