Paradise Country tiger cubs Maliah and Melah celebrate World Tiger Day

Tiger cubs Maliah and Melah are fast becoming a star attraction on the Gold Coast, and their keepers have given them a very important job to do.

WILDLIFE curator Deane Jones sees a younger version of himself in the children who press their noses against glass at Paradise Country’s tiger enclosure and stare in amazement.

Cubs Maliah and Melah are a star attraction at the farm and spend their days melting hearts through their roles as ambassadors of the Global Conservation Centre

There’s even more reason to celebrate them today because it is Global Tiger Day.

The day aims to raise awareness of the plight facing wild tigers which are one of the most endangered animals on the planet.

“I believe in empathy through contact so hopefully when people see the tigers, it pulls on their heartstrings,” Mr Jones said.

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“We have lost 97 per cent of all tigers and they risk going extinct.”

Maliah and Melah are saving their species. Picture: Contributed

There are about 3,900 wild tigers left in the world according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.

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“They’re adorable no matter what they’re doing,” Mr Jones said of the two cubs.

“I remember when I first saw one for the first time as a kid, it was at the zoo and I was just in awe.

“What we are doing now is inspiring the next generation.”

The tiger cubs are on display at Paradise Country on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am — 3pm until October.

The pair is from Sydney and will return there after their work on the Gold Coast is done.