He’s not such a baby anymore!
Who is Bakso?
Bakso (pronounced like bahk-soh, with the ‘k’ being very soft or almost silent) is a male Sumatran tiger cub born on September 26, 2024, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Named after the Indonesian meatball(!!) – based on his carnivorous diet – he is the first Sumatran tiger cub born at the park in over 7 years.
Fast forward to today… Bakso is now over 18 months old. You can now find him roaming the tiger habitat in the Maharajah Jungle Trek solo, as his care teams have separated him from his mother, Sohni, since he’s old enough to be independent.
While he can still share the habitat with his mother, he’s no longer under constant watch and is starting to explore more on his own. His father, Conrad, remains separate, which is a standard practice as adult males can pose a risk to cubs.
On recent visits, we’ve seen Bakso splashing around in the water and batting at enrichment toys, showing off his energy… before darting out of view when it was time to be fed! He also tends to curiously look up at guests that are looking in on his habitat.
Disney’s care teams have expected Bakso to stay with Sohni anywhere from 18 months to 3 years, so his current stage falls right at the early end of that window. As he matures, plans will likely involve working with accredited zoos through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to find a genetically compatible mate, helping support the species’ long-term survival. Sumatran tigers are critically endangered, with fewer than 400 left in the wild.
This means Bakso may end up moving locations entirely, but for now, we have time to catch him in his current phase at Animal Kingdom — playing, roaring, and exploring.
Don’t miss venturing down Asia’s Maharajah Jungle Trek on your next visit to see Bakso for yourself, alongside other habitats dedicated to bats, Komodo dragon, and monkeys.
