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First Moo Deng, now Ava: Thailand’s ‘cute’ golden tiger goes viral, internet can’t keep with her cuteness

Following Moo Deng the hippo and Pesto the penguin, Ava, a rare golden tabby tiger from Thailand, has also joined the ranks of animals that gained viral fame in 2024.

Thailand’s ‘cute’ golden tiger, Ava, goes viral

A three-year-old golden tabby tiger named Ava has captured hearts online, becoming a viral sensation and giving tough competition to Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo. Ava’s rise to fame began after the Chiang Mai Night Safari in Thailand shared her photos on Facebook on November 19. Within just two days, the post had amassed 38,000 likes and nearly 30,000 shares.

Born on February 16, 2021, alongside her sister Luna, Ava belongs to a rare Bengal tiger variant. The zoo has highlighted this distinctive tiger lineage thanks to her parents, who arrived at the safari park from the Czech Republic and South Africa in 2015. Ava made her first public appearance just three weeks after her birth and is now stealing the spotlight as one of the zoo’s most beloved residents, according to South China Morning Post.

See the cute ‘Ava’:

Ava’s adorable, fluffy charm and playful expressions have captivated thousands online, earning her over 38,000 likes and 3,000 comments. Fans can’t get enough of her, with one person calling her a “cute little kitten” and another jokingly commenting, “I am an orange cat.”

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Since Ava became an internet sensation, the zoo has been delighting followers with her pictures and videos. In one heartwarming photo, a caretaker is seen gently petting her.

The zoo introduced her as a golden tiger, an exceptionally rare variant of the Bengal tiger, made unique by a recessive gene that alters its colouration.

With fewer than 30 golden tigers in captivity worldwide, they are even rarer than white tigers—another Bengal or Siberian variant with its own distinctive genetic mutation, of which around 200 exist globally.

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Ava’s caretakers describe her as a playful and sociable tiger, known for her gentle demeanour around children—a surprising contrast to the fearsome reputation often associated with her kind.

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Following Moo Deng the hippo and Pesto the penguin, Ava has also joined the ranks of animals that gained viral fame in 2024 due to their adorable looks and behaviours.

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