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When two rare Sumatran tigers were born in Australia Zoo, north of Brisbane, they were sent to live with one of the keepers for the first few months of their lives. Giles Clark describes what happened when he took them home.

Spot and Stripe were not the first tiger cubs I'd raised in my front room.

I first did it about 20 years ago, when I was still living at my mum's house in north London and was working at a small zoo nearby. I hand-reared numerous litters of lions and tigers there.

Now I live in Australia and have worked at the same place in Queensland for 11 years - these are the first tiger cubs that have ever been born at Australia Zoo.

Globally, a third of Sumatran cubs in captivity don't make it to adulthood, so to ensure their survival I decided to give them round the clock care at home.

Some great pics here & video
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27832684

No way would I have one near or in the house.

The idea is appealing but the reality rather frightening.

Years ago there was an advert to adopt a dolphin. Sam thought it could live in our bath!! liv wanted to adopt a penguin, my bathroom would inaccessible left up to those two!! they couldn't understand that they don't live with you!!

Frightening

Stan would love one