HONOLULU -- The Honolulu Zoo's female Sumatran tiger Chrissie gave birth to three cubs on Monday.

Zookeepers were not able to find out how many cubs were born until Tuesday, according to county officials.

The tiger births are the first in 27 years at the zoo. There are just 500 Sumatran tigers in the wild and about 200 more in captivity, so the births of new tigers are important to preserving the endangered species.

Chrissie and her mate, Berani, already produced three cubs in an Indiana zoo.

The cubs will not be named for several weeks, officials said. They could be moved to other zoos as part of the Species Survival Program once they have matured for some time.

There are no photos or video of the newborns yet because it is important for the mother and the cubs to be left alone during this time, officials said.