A seven-month-old Bengal tiger cub at Shanghai Zoo has captured the hearts of zoogoers and internet users with its feathery fur and cheery personality after overcoming a challenging start in life.
Named Hong Tang, meaning brown sugar, the female cub has been charming visitors with her adorably round face, reddish-brown stripes, and endless playful antics.
"I came here just to see her today. When I see this tiger, I feel like I'm looking at a muscle man acting cute," said a zoo visitor.
"She's a hit on the internet. I saw that she has developed a personality, so I wanted to see her in person," said another visitor.
"She's so cute, just like a big kitty-cat. I would love to pet her," another visitor said.
The fluffy cub was born on August 10, 2024. Tragically, she was rejected by her mother, which would have been a death sentence in the wild. Thankfully, zoo staff were miraculously able to nurse her, bringing her into healthy adolescence.
"She has a lively personality and acts cute for you. Every time we enter, she will lie at the door with her little head sticking out and looking at us. She particularly likes to watch the two striped hyenas quarreling next door," said Jiang Wenting, a zookeeper and caretaker for the cub.
Hong Tang's favorite foods are chicken and beef, according to the zookeeper.
"She is fluffy now. She loves chicken and beef. We also provide beef bones for her to bite," said Jiang.
At seven months old, the cub has reached the equivalent of eight or nine human years. Female tigers generally reach maturity at around three years old.
Tiger cub in Shanghai Zoo claws at heartstrings with struggle-to-stardom story
Foreign ministers from eight Arab and Islamic countries have condemned in the strongest terms recent "illegal" Israeli decisions and measures aimed at entrenching settlement activity and Israeli control in the West Bank.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia reaffirmed their position that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territory.
They warned against the continued "expansionist Israeli policies" and illegal measures pursued by the Israeli government in the occupied West Bank, voicing "absolute rejection of these illegal actions."
The ministers said Israeli measures constitute a blatant violation of international law and undermine the two-state solution, adding that such actions also undermine the ongoing efforts for peace and stability in the region.
The statement urged the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities to compel Israel to halt its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank.
On Sunday, Israel's security cabinet approved several decisions aimed at altering the legal and civil status of the West Bank and strengthening Israeli control over the territory.
Among the controversial measures approved, the cabinet decided to repeal a law banning land sales to Jews, to remove the requirement for special transaction permits, and to revive a state land acquisition committee that had been inactive for about two decades.
Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East War. The settlements it has built there and its ongoing military occupation are widely regarded as illegal under international law.
Palestinian officials have repeatedly warned that measures expanding settlements and extending Israeli civilian authority in the West Bank undermine prospects for establishing an independent Palestinian state.
Arab, Islamic countries condemn Israeli measures to deepen control in West Bank
