A Family for Zoya

The True Story of an Endangered Cub

Author: Debra Kim Wolf, Annalisa Durante and Marina Durante

Paperback

This true heartwarming story follows Zoya, the only surviving cub of critically endangered Amur tigers at the Philadelphia Zoo. After her mother's rejection, zoo staff find hope in Lola, a Sumatran tiger with three newborn cubs. Through this unconventional family bond, Zoya learns important lessons about belonging, survival, and what it means to be a tiger.

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30th June 2025

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Summary

Description

This heartwarming true story follows Zoya, the only surviving cub of critically endangered Amur tigers at the Philadelphia Zoo.

After her mother rejects her, dedicated zoo staff race to find her a new family. They discover Lola, a Sumatran tiger who has just given birth to three cubs at the Oklahoma Zoo, and venture out with Zoya to try something that has never been successfully done before.

Zoya is transported across the country to meet Lola. The zookeepers anxiously wait to see how Lola will respond to this unfamiliar cub. Will she accept Zoya into her den? Will Lola have enough milk for all four cubs? Will Zoya adapt to her new family, even though she looks and acts differently? As Zoya grows, her story is marked by moments of uncertainty and hope, leaving animal lovers to wonder what the future holds for her and the survival of her species.

Her remarkable journey highlights the profound bonds that unite all creatures and underscores the vital importance of conservation efforts. After meeting Zoya and reading her story, continue on for more fascinating facts about Amur tigers and learn how the Tiger Conservation Campaign and Tiger Species Survival Plan(R) contribute to their future. Discover how fresh genes can be introduced into the wild population to make them healthier, efforts to reduce poaching, and how villagers are helping to build tiger-proof pens for their farm animals!

About the Author

Debra Kim Wolf is a land conservation attorney (under her married name Debra Wolf Goldstein), author, songwriter, and tree hugger. She was vice president of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park Commission for over a decade and cofounded the Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival. She also directs the nonprofit One Little Earth , which supports outdoor programs, films, and books that instill a love of nature in young people. Debra received the "Woman of Lifetime Achievement in Conservation" award from the statewide group, PennFuture. Her favorite childhood toy was Toby, a stuffed tiger cub.

Marina Durante is the twin sister of Annalisa Durante. Both work together as nature and science illustrators. They have loved nature and animals ever since they were children and they enjoy illustrating portraits of animals and pets. Marina loves drawing, photography, deep water diving, and hiking. The photos she takes while exploring are the inspiration for their art and help her study the scientific details of animals and plants. Marina's mission for their art is to excite viewers and disclose the real beauty of the Earth. Together, their work has been published all over the world and they have won prizes in naturalistic illustration contests. Marina lives in Milan, Italy.

Annalisa Durante is the twin sister of Marina Durante. Both work together as nature and science illustrators. They have loved nature and animals ever since they were children and they enjoy illustrating portraits of animals and pets. Annalisa's curiosity is delicate, and her exploration is intimate. She is also inspired by her interest in Eastern Philosophy. Annalisa says "By the Western culture I learned skills and from the Eastern one the inner silence, base of true listening and meeting with every creature". Together, their work has been published all over the world and they have won prizes in naturalistic illustration contests. Annalisa lives in Milan, Italy.