Zoo Boise says that one of its two tigers was euthanized this week. Tundra was 18 years old and had been in ill health.
Tundra and his brother Taiga came to Zoo Boise in 1999 from the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
The head of Zoo Boise says all of its staff members are sad about Tundra’s passing.
“An entire generation of children in the Treasure Valley grew up seeing him and marveling at his beauty and majesty,” said Steve Burns, Director of Zoo Boise. “He was part of our family and we will miss him.”
Tundra was old for an Amur tiger. Males typically live for 16 years in captivity. The zoo says Tundra’s health had been declining for a month. Officials say he had cancer of the liver and pancreas.
Tundra's brother Taiga died in January of 2013 of renal failure and tumors in his spleen. There is still one tiger at Zoo Boise. Katarina is 12 years old.
The zoo is working with the Species Survival Program from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The program is the equivalent of a dating service for rare animals in zoos. Zoo Boise will have to wait a few months before it learns the best option for replacing Tundra.
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