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‘Goofy’ golden tiger at Thai zoo captures hearts, emerging as next star after hippo Moo Deng


Bart Jansen

USA TODAY

5 mins ago

Agatha is described as playful and sociable, showcasing a friendly demeanour towards children

An adorable three-year-old golden tiger at a Thai zoo has emerged as the newest sensation, rivalling the baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng, after her online debut on November 19.

The Chiang Mai Night Safari in northern Thailand shared photos of the golden tabby tiger named Agatha on its Facebook page, garnering 34,000 likes and 24,000 shares within just two days.

Agatha made her entrance three weeks after her sister Luna, even though both were born on February 16, 2021.

Their parents were brought to the safari park from the Czech Republic and South Africa in July 2015.

The zoo introduced their species as golden tigers, a rare variant of the Bengal tiger characterised by a recessive colour-changing gene.

It is estimated that only around 30 golden tigers exist in captivity worldwide, significantly fewer than the 200 white tigers, which are also Bengal or Siberian tigers with a rare colour mutation.

Visitors can now see Agatha and Luna at the safari park’s Tiger World zone between 11am and 2pm.

Their caretakers describe Agatha as playful and sociable, noting her friendly nature towards children, which stands in stark contrast to the species’ reputation as fierce predators.

Many have been enchanted by Agatha’s soft, fluffy appearance and her “goofy” expressions.

“Her face is so sweet,” one commenter noted on Facebook.

“She looks so clean, as if she takes 10 baths a day,” another remarked.

“First Moo Deng, now Agatha? Thailand is winning the cutest animals award,” a user commented on Instagram.

5 mins ago