Minnesota Zoo says goodbye to 'Dari,' a 13-year-old Amur tiger who birthed six cubs
The tiger, whose name was often shortened to "Dari," was humanely euthanized July 12 due to mesothelioma, an aggressive and incurable form of cancer, the Apple Valley zoo announced.
"We are grateful for the tireless and compassionate efforts of our animal care and veterinary teams and their work to ensure Dari passed peacefully under expert care," the zoo said on social media.
She was born June 17, 2012, and raised at the Minnesota Zoo, where her keepers remember her as a "true matriarch, a pillar of strength and irreplaceable member of our zoo." She gave birth to six cubs: Vera, Brosno, Vostok, Yana and, most recently, Amaliya and Andrei, who were born May 23, 2024.
"The arrival of Amaliya and Andrei shined a global spotlight on the Minnesota Zoo and served as a reminder of the critical role we play in tiger conservation," the zoo said.
Related: In the woods of Minnesota, Avon Hills Folk School is quietly reviving lost arts
Amur tigers, the largest of all cats, are considered endangered and came close to extinction in the 1930s and 1940s, though conservation efforts have since helped raise the population, the zoo said. Still, it's believed that about 500 or fewer remain in the wild.
The Minnesota Zoo is involved in the Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan, which it says serves as a 'genetic insurance policy' against extinction. By closely observing Sundari's maternal care and behaviors, Minnesota Zoo zookeepers have been able to share best practices with other zoos.
'Through her life, Dari gave the (Species Survival Plan) program what it needed most – consistency, maternal excellence and critical genetic contribution," Trista Fischer, a Minnesota Zoo zoologist and coordinator of the Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan, said in a statement. "She nurtured her cubs with extraordinary love and helped guide a new generation of care for tiger mothers."
There have been 46 Amur tiger cubs born at the Minnesota Zoo in its 46-year history. Of those, 21 have had litters of their own, resulting in another 86 cubs to boost the species' population, the zoo said.
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Minnesota Zoo mourns 13-year-old Amur tiger who birthed six cubs
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