Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian National Zoo.

Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian National Zoo.

Let’s give the pandas a rest for a while. The Smithsonian National Zoo wants you to show some love to Sparky, its new Sumatran tiger.

While in D.C., zookeepers hope that Sparky will do some breeding as part of the Sumatran Tiger Species Survival Plan, according to a release from the zoo.

The 12 year-old male has never sired a litter of cubs, but the zoo’s female tiger, Damai, “is a proven breeder and mother,” according to zookeepers. While the two can only see one another from a distance, Damai is already taking the lead by chuffing, a friendly greeting vocalization, to Sparky.

In the coming months, zookeepers will officially introduce them in hopes that the animals will mate.

Native to Indonesia, Sumatran tigers are considered a critically endangered species—there are about 400 of them in the wild. Zoo-goers can visit Sparky at the Great Cats Exhibit.

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