Tune Into Tiger Tuesdays – Baby Bakso Updates

For the first time ever, we’re giving you a weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at baby Bakso and his mom Sohni as they get ready for his big day on Maharajah Jungle Trek.

Starting today, and every week, tune in to the Disney Parks YouTube and Disney Parks Blog to see what mom and baby are up to and get filled in on what’s been happening in between Tiger Tuesdays. Who doesn’t want to see a tiger cub grow and learn and experience all his firsts?   

Already proving to be an inquisitive and active cub, Bakso’s curious and playful personality is starting to shine through. Over the next few weeks, you’ll be able to watch him reach important milestones that might include taking his first swim lesson or eating solid food for the first time.   

Our animal care experts are taking such great care of Bakso and mom and they’re making sure he’s ready to explore the world around him in the coming weeks. We can’t wait to tune into Tiger Tuesday TV weekly to see baby Bakso updates. Catch his next big adventure and maybe catch some cute cuddle time between baby and mom Sohni! 

Time For Baby’s First Check Up!

Guess who had his first neonatal exam with our veterinarians? Baby boy Bakso!
His veterinarians are very happy with his weight, sharp baby teeth, bright amber eyes and his quick reflexes.

Animal keepers provided mom Sohni with her some of her favorite enrichment – a bone, while Bakso was away from her supervising eyes just for a little while so the vets could do their exam. His first introduction to our veterinary team was a success, and they’re thrilled with the growth milestones he’s met so far.

This initial neonatal exam is essential to ensuring the health and ongoing wellbeing of Bakso. During the exam, the team was able to evaluate his overall physical health, including a look into his big, beautiful eyes.

Baby Bakso is almost 8 weeks old and weighs just over 10 lbs. We can’t wait to see what he does next!

We can’t get enough of Bakso! 

He continues to be very active and curious as he explores his backstage home, not far from his very patient mom, Sohni, who has been watching from their long hallway. We are giving you another view of the backstage area that Bakso has been exploring – think of it as a playroom of sorts.  

This week he has been trying something new— his first introduction to scent enrichment with lemongrass, which he loved smelling, scratching and at times, laying in. This new experience is so important for his growth as its opening his senses to the world, all while keeping him happy and healthy.

Next week, Bakso hits another milestone — as he officially turns 3 months old! Be sure to check back next week to see what other adorable moments are ahead in his journey.  

Happy Tiger Tuesday! Did you know that Bakso’s name was inspired by the Indonesian word for meatball? This week, our little cub, ate solid food for the very first time – and it was a meatball! Like all big cats, Sumatran tigers are carnivores and our Animal Nutrition Center does an incredible job at ensuring all animal diets are delicious, packed full of proper nutrients and ethically sourced. This is especially important for a baby cub during his growing years and as he prepares for the “big cat habitat.”  

Eating solid foods is a critical milestone in Bakso’s development. This is important because it will determine that soon, keepers will begin weaning him from nursing and providing him with the necessary enrichment to mimic hunting behavior. Over the next few weeks, he will begin munching more on solid foods and nursing less, taking him one step closer to joining Sohni on Maharajah Jungle Trek! 

Little Bakso continues to grow more independent by the day.  

While still under the watchful eye of his mom, Sohni, Bakso recently explored a new area—the outside yard of their backstage habitat. Though his time there was brief, it was a pivotal moment in his development. Before joining his mom in the main habitat next year, Bakso will need to further hone his climbing and exploring skills, and this new space is the perfect environment for that.  

Think of it as “pre-school” for cubs—where he can practice jumping from logs, rolling in tall grasses, and even improving his pounce (and yes, he’s getting pretty good at it!). In the coming weeks, our dedicated keepers will also be introducing new challenges, including swimming, to continue nurturing Bakso’s growth.  

As the holiday season approaches, we’ll be taking a brief pause from Tiger TV Tuesdays until the new year. But rest assured, we’ll have plenty of exciting updates to share when we return on January 7. 

It’s been a couple of weeks since we last peeked backstage into Bakso and Sohni’s world, and in that time, Bakso has grown a little bit more independent. While he still enjoys plenty of cuddle time with his mom, Sohni, he’s eating a lot more and becoming increasingly more comfortable exploring his backstage habitat on his own.

We’re starting to see him venture and play in more spaces that at one time could have been a bit intimidating, but even as he grows more curious and confident, we see him always returning to the reassuring presence of mom. Just over three months old, Bakso is entering an important phase in his development. His exploration is important for building his tiger skills, both physically and socially. Sohni continues to play a key role in his growth, providing the nurturing presence he needs while also allowing him the space to discover the world around him. It’s clear that he is sharpening those tiger instincts, from crouching to practicing his pounces—though often, his target is still his mom, including her tail! His keepers said his favorite place to play with her is in their outside area backstage. As you can see from this week’s photo, he’s taken up an interest in playing with a leaf or two.

Soon, Bakso will be learning how to swim, a skill that is essential for his upcoming debut on the Maharajah Jungle Trek. This next step will mark another crucial milestone in his journey toward becoming more independent, but rest assured, Sohni will continue to be by his side, teaching him along the way.

This week, we have a fun little update on baby Bakso!

He’s growing more independent, but as always, his mom, Sohni, is right there guiding him through every new adventure. This week, Bakso is having a blast in a cozy pile of hay, practicing his pouncing and camouflaging skills! After a bit of play in the hay, Bakso also discovered new enrichment and had a great time playing around with it. Watching him test his strength and coordination is always a treat, and Sohni is right there, keeping an eye on him.

But the most exciting news this week is that Bakso is starting to prepare for his next milestone: swimming!

While the pool is empty of water for now, the Animal Care team will soon begin introducing small amounts of water to help Bakso get more comfortable. And as you can see in this week’s video, Sohni is right there watching as he explored the small pool in his outside habitat. It’s amazing to see Bakso continue to grow and gain confidence, and we can’t wait to share more updates as he reaches new milestones.

Stay tuned for more as he inches towards that big debut on Maharajah Jungle Trek.