Just like Punch the macaque monkey at a zoo in Japan who recently captured worldwide attention for dragging his beloved stuffed monkey everywhere he goes, Pablo the tiger cub has become a sensation in Hungary. Rescued during a police raid and brought to the Budapest Zoo, the young tiger with an unusual story and mysterious origins quickly became the facility’s biggest attraction, drawing long lines of visitors eager to catch a glimpse of him.
Pablo is happy to strike a pose for the cameras. Photo: Hungary Today
Now, however, Pablo’s brief but memorable stay at the zoo is coming to an end. Hungary Today managed to take some of the last photos of the famous cub and spoke with Zoltán Hanga, spokesperson for the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, about Pablo’s remarkable journey and his upcoming move to a new home.
Fact
As we reported, a police operation in Tiszafüred took an unexpected turn: during a drug investigation, authorities discovered a small tiger cub in an outbuilding on a property back in December. Due to the animal’s status as a particularly dangerous and protected species, experts from the Environmental Crime Investigation Bureau were immediately brought in to assist with the operation.
Pablo upon his arrival to the Budapest Zoo. Photo: MTI/Kocsis Zoltán
No drugs were ultimately found during the raid, but a lonely male tiger cub, as well as several other exotic animals, were discovered at the scene. The authorities seized the tiger, and immediate, professional care was required. That is how the tiger cub was temporarily taken to the conservation rescue center at the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, where he was placed in quarantine and underwent veterinary examinations.
The cub received a new name through an online public vote. People online gave him the name Pablo by an overwhelming majority, the name being reminiscent of the famous drug lord, Pablo Escobar.
When the cub arrived at the zoo in early December, he was about two months old and weighed nine kilograms. He has been growing rapidly ever since and now weighs around 35 kilograms. There was a great interest online in what type of tiger Pablo is. Although genetic testing was done, there is a high probability that Pablo is a hybrid of different tiger subspecies, which rules out his participation in the breeding program.
Photo: Hungary Today
The caretakers transformed an existing enclosure with great attention to detail and adapted it for the tiger cub. He received several toys, his favorite being a three-legged wood construction that he likes to hide behind, and a wooden seesaw.
Photo: Hungary Today
He is also fond of boxes like any true feline, therefore he often has boxes placed for him.
The spokesperson emphasized that even the keepers have not been allowed to enter the enclosure since the middle of January, therefore all interaction has taken place through bars or glass. Pablo has a favorite caretaker who he still recognized sometimes through the windows.
For safety reasons, we have been treating him as an adult tiger,”
Zoltán Hanga said.
When the enclosure was opened to the public in January, long lines formed at the zoo. Everyone wants to see the tiger cub with an unusual origin story.
However, popularity cannot override professional considerations: the goal was and continues to be not to raise a “tame” animal, but to allow it to live as much like a tiger as possible.
Photo: Hungary Today
Regarding the question of whether Pablo is lonely just like Punch, the monkey rejected by his mother, who finds comfort in a stuffed animal, the spokesperson pointed out that the biggest problem is that the tiger cub had been separated from its mother at a very young age.
A tiger of this age belongs with its mother. We do not know why it was not there: there may have been an unavoidable reason, but it is also possible that it was simply taken away from her,”
the spokesperson said.
This situation has already had an irreversible impact on the animal’s development, but by ending its illegal captivity, it has at least been placed in a safe, controlled environment.
Photo: Hungary Today
The zoo is no stranger to keeping tigers, as it has been caring for the species for 100 years: a breeding pair of Siberian tigers currently lives there, and they have already had a cub. Although many people would think that it is a good idea to introduce Pablo to Agnes (the mother tiger) and Léna, the spokesperson stated that even if it is not completely unimaginable for a mother tiger to adopt a foreign cub, it still carries a great risk to introduce them to each other. This is especially true in the case of Pablo, who is showing clear signs of being “domesticated” by his previous “owner,” and does not react like a normal tiger cub would in many situations.
Agnes and Léna on 2026.02.14. during a live feeding event on Valentine’s Day in the Budapest Zoo. Photo: Hungary Today
Therefore, discussions have started early on with the Medveotthon shelter in Veresegyház, with which according to the spokesperson, the Budapest Zoo has been in close cooperation for years. An existing space has already been converted for Pablo’s needs. He will be safely transported to the shelter at the beginning of next week.
Pablo’s signature white spots behind his ears. Photo: Hungary Today
Zoltán Hanga said the choice was not made because Pablo does not have a good place at the Budapest facility, they simply already have tigers at the facility. The shelter has been eagerly waiting Pablo’s arrival and he will be showcased for visitors in his new environment.
The spokesperson wanted to draw a clear conclusion to Pablo’s unusual story: although he is adorable, friendly, and playful, he is not a pet.
It’s no coincidence that the law prohibits the private ownership of tigers. These rules serve the interests of both animals and people. A tiger is not a pet, and treating it as such is dangerous for both parties,”
he emphasized.
Featured photo: Hungary Today
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