Star Tribune
Twin Amur tigers are first to be born at Como Zoo in more than 40 years
Two amur tiger cubs — one boy and one girl — born last week at Como Zoo in St. Paul, and zoo officials are calling their arrival historic and “exciting” for its conservation efforts.
The twins are the first tigers to be born at Como in more than 40 years, and offer hope for this critically endangered species, said Como Zoo and Conservatory Director Michelle Furrer.
“This is an extraordinary milestone for Como,” she said. “The birth of these tiger cubs is not only a testament to the dedication and expertise of our animal care team but also a beacon of hope for the conservation of Amur tigers worldwide.”
Fewer than 500 amur tigers — also known as Siberian tigers — remain in the wild as they face critical threats from habitat loss, poaching and human-wildlife conflict, Furrer said.
The cubs’ 7-year-old mother, Bernadette, came to Como in October 2023 after spending time at the Oregon Zoo. The father is 11-year-old Tsar, who was born at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas and has been a Como resident since February 2019.
The pairing of the first-time parents was made following a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan, a program dedicated to the management and conservation of Amur tigers in accredited institutions across the country.
“These cubs represent a significant success for the Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan and for the future of the species,” said Wes Sims, director of animal care and health at Como Park. “Our team is incredibly excited about the birth of these two tiger cubs. It’s a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team that these amazing animals have successfully bred in our care.”
The cubs’ father will remain on view, but the public will have to wait to see the mother and yet-to-be-named newborns as they will live in private for the next several months, zoo officials said.
A participant in an inline skating race held Saturday on Saturday died following the race, race officials announced on a Facebook page Sunday.
Mike Lufholm, 36, of Minneapolis, was remembered in Northshore Inline Marathon organizers’ Facebook post as an active member of the rollerblading community. He died following an apparent medical incident at the race course.
“Mike was a true ambassador for inline skating with a passion for the sport,” one commenter said. Another recalled seeing him in Duluth before the race with his wife and newborn daughter Friday.
Lufholm grew up in northern Minnesota and began skating in middle school, according to his team member profile on Rollerblade.com.
Race officials thanked participants who came to Lufholm’s aid, first responders and medical professionals who helped provide care.
“Our hearts go out to his wife, daughter, family, and all those who were close to him. He made such an impact on the rollerblading community,” the Facebook post said.
A 27-acre wildfire believed to be caused by human activity near Ely in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was 25% contained Sunday morning, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The Wood Lake fire was discovered around 10 a.m. Tuesday on an island on Wood Lake, a news release from the U.S. Forest Service-Superior National Forest said. It caused the closure of an entry point on the lake, as well as several nearby lakes and portages.
“Firefighters made good progress yesterday with higher humidity levels, continuing to reinforce the fire’s containment line,” the news release said Sunday, noting that firefighters are making contingency plans around Moose Lake.
Firefighters from Connecticut are assisting in fighting the fire.
The fire is under investigation, and Superior National Forest law enforcement are seeking any information about how the fire started.
A sheriff’s deputy wounded a man during a standoff in western Minnesota early Sunday.
The Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office was called for a welfare check at a house near Clarkfield, south of Montevideo, Saturday afternoon, the agency said in a news release. When officers arrived, the man they meant to check on fled into a farm field with a rifle, the release said.
Sheriff’s deputies rushed neighbors out of the house next to the field, and said the man pointed his rifle at them before running into the just-vacated house.
Deputies surrounded the house and tried to talk to the person, but called a SWAT team when they could not persuade him to come outside. Members of the Kandiyohi-Meeker-Willmar SWAT team arrived and also tried to talk the person out of the house.
The man fired at the SWAT team, according to the sheriff’s office. A member of that SWAT team shot back, hitting the man in the leg. The standoff continued.
Two other SWAT teams relieved the Kandiyohi-Meeker-Willmar team after about eight hours, according to the sheriff’s office.
Just after 6 a.m. Sunday, the man left the house and shot a long gun at the SWAT teams. Another SWAT team member shot back and hit the man.
The man was taken to HCMC by helicopter and was in stable condition Sunday afternoon.
