THERE was excitement at Dudley Zoological Gardens today (Thursday) as staff took delivery of a rare Sumatran tiger from Germany as part of international conservation efforts to preserve the critically endangered species.

The new arrival, 20-month-old male Joao, joined the zoo’s three-year-old Daseep, who is ranked as the world's second most important female in the genetic pool for the rare sub-species which now numbers fewer than 140 in the wild.

Joao's translocation, via land and sea from Krefeld Zoo, posed a challenge for keepers who used a crane to move the big cat into the Modernist Triple Tecton enclosure on the site's upper level.

Zoo chief executive Peter Suddock said: "The big cat Tecton enclosure is a tricky one to negotiate and we used a crane to manoeuvre the tiger into the building.

"Not only does this make the transfer easier, but it also eliminates the need to anaesthetise Joao and meant we could introduce him to the internal dens immediately and get him settled.”

The zoo holds an impressive breeding record for Sumatran tigers; eight cubs born at the Castle Hill site between 2000 and 2005 increasing the world population by two per cent and boosting programmes across the globe.

Assistant curator, Richard Brown, said: “We are all delighted and relieved that Joao is here at last.

“He is a superb tiger and has already started communicating with the female through vocalisation. We are very hopeful he will settle in over the weekend and be out in the external enclosure to meet the public very soon.”

Registrar and research co-ordinator, Dr David Beeston, said: "Since our female Sumatran tiger, Daseep, arrived from Wuppertal Zoo, in Germany, in February 2012, the search has been on to find a suitable mate.

"With the help of the European endangered species co-ordinator and the ISIS global animal database we eventually found an ideal match for Daseep in Joao.

“We hope these genetically important animals will soon breed and boost the numbers in the important European breeding population for this highly endangered species.

"There are now more tiger rugs in the world than tigers in the wild and with habitat destruction and hunting for body parts for use in medicines showing no signs of slowing, the captive population provides an important safety net against extinction."

Joao will be held off-show to the public until next week while veterinary staff and curators monitor his behaviour and introduce him to Daseep.