Dudley Zoo’s two tigers have settled in well to their new home, much to the delight of curators.

The highly endangered females, 18-month-old Amur tiger Tschuna and Daseep, a 17-month-old Sumatran, transferred to the Castle Hill attraction on February 15, from Wuppertal Zoological Gardens, in Germany, as part of an international conservation programme.

The pair were kept in their internal den for the first few days, before being let out to meet their public, but keepers are delighted with their progress.

Head of Media and Communications, Jill Hitchman, said: “We’re all surprised at how quickly they have settled and how very confident and contented they both are.

“They are eating and sleeping well and spending a lot of time playing in the external enclosure. They are very calm with keepers and the vet is pleased at how steady they are. It is fantastic to have young tigers back at Dudley Zoo and we just know they are going to become one of our most popular species.”

The zoo has already reported an increase in visitor numbers, hoping to catch a glimpse of the site’s newest additions and staff have also been inundated with emails, Facebook messages and tweets from lots of their German supporters. Many who have promised to visit the zoo over the summer months.

Jill added: “We are immensely lucky to have such important big cats - there are fewer than 140 Sumatrans left in the wild, and it is due to the zoo’s highly successful conservation with this species that has led to their transfer.”