A TWO-YEAR-OLD Sumatran tiger has been moved from Flamingo Land Resort in North Yorkshire to France, as part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).

The tiger was transferred to the Zoo de la Boissiere du Dore close to Nantes in Western France after being bred in captivity at the zoo near Pickering.

He was one of three tiger cubs born at Flamingo Land in March 2014. The births, a first for the zoo, represented a significant increase in the global population of the critically endangered subspecies of tiger.

No more than 500 Sumatran tigers remain in the wild due to pressure from hunting and habitat loss.

Kuasa’s two sisters, Mentari and Bulan should also be leaving later in the year.

Zoo manager Ross Snipp said: “Watching Kuasa grow from a tiny cub has been an amazing experience for everyone at Flamingo Land Resort.

“Though we will miss him, knowing that he and his sisters will play a part in the conservation of Sumatran tigers is incredibly rewarding and helps to reinforce the vital role of zoos.”