Franklin Park Zoo tiger dies: ‘Anala was an incredible ambassador for her species’

A 17-year-old female tiger at Franklin Park Zoo who was “an incredible ambassador for her species” has died after suffering from kidney failure, the Boston zoo announced on Tuesday.

Anala’s health had steadily declined in recent days, and the zoo decided to humanely euthanize the Bengal mix for quality of life reasons.

“We all adored Anala, and are going to greatly miss her,” said Chris Bartos, an assistant curator at Zoo New England’s Franklin Park Zoo. “While this is sad news to share, we take comfort in knowing that Anala inspired and brought so much joy to so many of our visitors through the years.”

Anala had been closely monitored by her care team following an exam in September that revealed she was in kidney failure. Her condition was chronic and irreversible.

At 17 years old, Anala was a geriatric cat, and kidney issues in a cat her age are not uncommon.

When the Tiger Tales habitat opened in 2006, it marked the first time that tigers had been exhibited at Franklin Park Zoo in 30 years. Anala and Luther, a white tiger who passed away in 2019 due to cancer, were both confiscated as young cubs by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agents during a sting operation at a wildlife sanctuary that was trying to sell them.

Through the tigers’ story, the zoo educated the public about illegal wildlife trafficking and unethical exploitation.

“Anala was an incredible ambassador for her species, and we are deeply saddened to share the news of her passing,” said John Linehan, Zoo New England president and CEO. “She lived at Franklin Park Zoo for most of her life, and had such an incredible presence.

“In the many years that she lived here, her story helped us teach so many people about illegal wildlife trafficking, the human exploitation of tigers and the importance of protecting and preserving the incredible biodiversity on our planet,” Linehan added.

The illegal wildlife trafficking trade has had a devastating effect on wild tiger populations. It is estimated that there are between 3,726 and 5,578 tigers in the wild worldwide.

For the time being, the Tiger Tales habitat will not be occupied. Future announcements about plans for this space will be shared on the zoo’s website and social media channels.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/cjGgiZL