A white tigress, Huahua, gave birth to triplets two weeks ago at the Harbin Northern Forest Zoo, Heilongjiang Province, located in northeastern region of China. One of the little white tiger cubs is male and other two are females. It's quite rare for a white tiger give birth successfully due to the extreme conditions in China's far north.

The white tigeress Huahua was brought to the zoo from South Africa three years ago together with her male partner Fangfang. A third tiger, another female companion called Qiangqiang, also relocated with them. This is Huahua's first birth, occurring shortly after she reached maturity this summer. 

To feed the three cubs, zoo authorities have brought in a wet nurse for them: a female dog. However, these cubs have such voracious appetites that one wet nurse is no longer enough. The zoo has had to procure another!

Over 1,000 mammals, including cubs and joeys, have been bred in Harbin's Northern Forest Zoo during last three years.

(China.org.cn by Wang Zhiyong August 15, 2007)