Latest news with #AmurTiger
The Independent
5 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Vets sedate 17-stone tiger for delicate operation to remove ingrown toenail
A 17-stone tiger who was sedated so vets could carry out a delicate operation to remove an ingrown toenail is 'getting back to her playful self', wildlife park staff have said. Tschuna, a rare Amur tiger, spent Wednesday sleeping off the general anaesthetic after having a rogue claw clipped off. The operation was carried out after staff at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster, noticed 15-year-old Tschuna, who weighs around 110kg, was limping and sensitive on one paw. Head of carnivores Bex Brown said: 'She's a great tiger, we're able to ask her to stand up and put her paws on the mesh so we could see she'd got this issue.' The veterinary team injected Tschuna with a short-lasting general anaesthetic to ease the procedure. The operation, which took less than 15 minutes, involved vets gently clipping off a claw on Tschuna's front left paw to stop the risk of infection and remove the discomfort. ' Tiger anaesthetics are particularly tricky, so it was a quick procedure to ensure everyone involved, including Tschuna, was safe,' said Dr Charlotte MacDonald, director of animals at the park. 'Tschuna came back round relatively quickly and should have a speedy recovery, though she probably has a bit of a headache from the anaesthetic. 'We're keeping her in the house at first to recover fully and then she'll hopefully be back to her playful self again very quickly.' Ms Brown said: 'Any anaesthetic there would always be an element of nerves, it's something we always want to try and avoid, but trying to trim it would have caused her pain, she wouldn't have allowed us to do that. Leaving it would have been painful and uncomfortable for her. 'Also, because we don't sedate them often at all, it was a good opportunity to give her a full MOT while she was asleep.' Tschuna arrived at the park in 2013 as part of an international breeding programme to help support the species, also known as Siberian tigers, which came close to extinction as numbers dwindled to around 30. She gave birth to three cubs at the park in 2015 – one of them, Hector, has become a father at Cleveland Zoo in the US – and it is hoped she will partner with three-year-old male Altai, who arrived at the park earlier this year, to produce more cubs as part of the European Endangered Species Programme. Ms Brown said Tschuna is 'a princess', adding: 'If we present her food she often puts the food on her other paw rather than off the ground.'
The Guardian
6 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Indonesian soldiers, tiger toenails and wildfires: photos of the day
Vets and wildlife park staff carry out a delicate operation to remove an ingrown toenail from Tschuna, a 17-stone Amur Tiger, at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA Palestinians receive medical care at the al-Awda hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp following an Israeli strike Photograph: Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images A destroyed airplane lies on the tarmac at Sana'a international airport in the aftermath of an Israeli military strike. It was the last remaining plane at rebel-held Yemen's international airport Photograph: Mohammed Huwais/AFP/Getty Images UK foreign secretary David Lammy with Norway's foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, at SvalSat, a satellite ground station that monitors the climate Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA Preparations for the upcoming Hajj season include installing cooling systems, rest areas and mobile phone charging stations, all aimed at enhancing pilgrims' comfort and safety Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images A sculpture at the Bitcoin 2025 conference, an event for cryptocurrency and blockchain enthusiasts held in Las Vegas Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images A Ukrainian soldier from the 2nd rifle battalion of the 24th mechanised brigade firing a 120mm mortar amid the ongoing Russian invasion Photograph: Ukrainian 24th mechanised brigade/EPA Indonesian soldiers take part in a welcome ceremony for France's president, Emmanuel Macron, at the military academy in Magelang, central Java Photograph: Jeanne Accorsini/AFP/Getty Images Smoke rises from a wildfire northwest of Fort McMurray Photograph: Alberta Wildfire/Reuters A market where sheep are sold ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of sacrifice Photograph: Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images A campground near the Everglades Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell/AP A boy plays with a football on the banks of the river Ganges at Scindia Ghat on a hot summer's day Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Feral honey bees interact at the edge of their hive behind a fruit processing barn near Elkton in rural southwestern Oregon Photograph: Robin Loznak/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock Firefighters and military officers work at the scene of crashed navy plane, an incident in which four crew were killed Photograph: AP Cole Palmer of Chelsea lifts the Conference League trophy after his team's victory over Real Betis Photograph:People protest outside the Varick ICE facility in New York amid an immigration crackdown Photograph: Olga Fedorova/EPA
The Independent
6 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Five vets operate on sedated 17-stone tiger for ‘tricky' paw operation
A 17-stone Amur tiger is recovering after undergoing a delicate operation to remove an ingrown toenail, staff at Yorkshire Wildlife Park have said. Tschuna, a 15-year-old Amur tiger, underwent the procedure after keepers noticed she was limping. Head of carnivores Bex Brown said the team were able to identify the issue by asking Tschuna to stand up and put her paws on the mesh. Vets then injected Tschuna with a short-lasting general anaesthetic to ease the procedure. Staff said she is now "getting back to her playful self". The operation, which took less than 15 minutes, involved vets gently clipping off a claw on Tschuna's front left paw to stop the risk of infection and remove the discomfort. 'Tiger anaesthetics are particularly tricky, so it was a quick procedure to ensure everyone involved, including Tschuna, was safe,' said Dr Charlotte MacDonald, director of animals at the park. 'Tschuna came back round relatively quickly and should have a speedy recovery, though she probably has a bit of a headache from the anaesthetic. 'We're keeping her in the house at first to recover fully and then she'll hopefully be back to her playful self again very quickly.' Ms Brown said: 'Any anaesthetic there would always be an element of nerves, it's something we always want to try and avoid, but trying to trim it would have caused her pain, she wouldn't have allowed us to do that. Leaving it would have been painful and uncomfortable for her. 'Also, because we don't sedate them often at all, it was a good opportunity to give her a full MOT while she was asleep.' Tschuna arrived at the park in 2013 as part of an international breeding programme to help support the species, also known as Siberian tigers, which came close to extinction as numbers dwindled to around 30. She gave birth to three cubs at the park in 2015 – one of them, Hector, has become a father at Cleveland Zoo in the US – and it is hoped she will partner with three-year-old male Altai, who arrived at the park earlier this year, to produce more cubs as part of the European Endangered Species Programme. Ms Brown said Tschuna is 'a princess', adding: 'If we present her food she often puts the food on her other paw rather than off the ground.'
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Devastated Chicago residents left reeling after beloved tiger is euthanized at zoo
Brookfield Zoo in Chicago is mourning Malena, a beloved Amur tiger, who was euthanized Friday due to a sudden health crisis. Veterinarians discovered that cancer had compromised her kidney function, leading to dangerous heart arrhythmias. 'Due to the severity of these abnormalities, the Zoo's veterinary experts made the incredibly difficult, but compassionate, decision to humanely euthanize her,' the zoo said in a statement. Malena joined the zoo's big cat family in 2020 at age 10 and made history just a year later, becoming the first Amur tiger in North America to successfully undergo a total hip replacement—a milestone in veterinary medicine. Her caretakers fondly recalled her morning routine: greeting the team with chuffs and her signature 'singing.' 'One of the things Malena's animal care team will miss the most about her is being greeted by her 'singing' and chuffing each morning, as well as her adoration for her beds.' They recalled that she wasn't much of a 'morning cat,' the statement continued. 'Malena's loss is deeply felt by all of us: our staff, volunteers, and the many guests who were moved by her quiet grace and beauty. She truly left a lasting mark on everyone lucky enough to see her.' As news of her passing spread, tributes poured in across social media—nearly 600 comments were filled with gratitude, heartbreak, and personal memories. 'So grateful that on our most recent visit we got to watch her play fetch with herself and her ball. She was so full of life. Hugs to her caretakers and all who loved her,' one commenter wrote. 'Thank you, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, for your good care and for making the compassionate choice for her. Warm thoughts to all her caregivers, Whirl, and all who cared about her,' said another. The grief was deeply personal for many: 'So very sorry. Our sympathies to her caregivers as it is very tough to lose a beloved 'family' member. She will be missed by all.' A visitor shared a cherished moment: 'I took this picture on November 30, 2020. I had just finished talking about Malena being so shy. 'A few seconds later, she peaked over the rock and disappeared just as quickly. I was so excited! 'The keeper ran back to see the image. She couldn't wait to tell the others that she had attempted to come out.' Others captured the sorrow in poetic terms: 'Heaven has lots of space for tigers.' 'As a former keeper at Brookfield I know how strong the bond can be with all the creatures in your care. They depend on us and we on them and to lose such an endangered species is even harder. My heart goes out to all her caregivers.' 'My daughter loved two animals more than any others: Malena and Kinda. What a tough weekend we're gonna have,' wrote another user. One tribute summed up the collective sentiment: 'I'm heartsick. What a privilege to have been in her presence.' And quoting Pirates of the Caribbean, one mourner added, 'The world's still the less in it.'
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Fishermen are baffled as dead TIGER is spotted floating in the sea
Fishermen sailing off the eastern Russian coast were shocked to discover the preserved corpse of a tiger floating in the sea. Disturbing footage taken from the boat in the Sea of Japan off the coast of Vladivostok on Sunday shows the rare adult Amur tiger floating past their vessel. The big cat showed no signs of injury, but the baffling find has prompted the city prosecutor's office to launch an investigation into the mysterious discovery. Police confirmed that the dead animal was an Amur, or Siberian, tiger, a critically endangered species that typically inhabits the forests of Russia's Far East. City prosecutors said: 'All circumstances of the incident, including the reasons for the animal's death, will be established.' The regional hunting supervision service said they are trying to verify the sighting and locate the tiger's body to find out how it died. A spokesperson said: 'Specialists are carrying out urgent measures to search for and recover the predator's body from the water.' The clip of the floating tiger was shared on social media platform Telegram and has gone viral. There is currently a population of 750 Amur tigers in Russia, according to The mysterious find comes five years after a beheaded tiger was discovered among several other animal corpses during a wildlife trafficking raid at a private zoo in Thailand. Thai wildlife officials made the shocking discovery at the Mukda Tiger Park and Farm in the northeastern province of Mukdahan in December 2020. They found a severed tiger head and other tiger carcasses, including body parts, in a crackdown on suspected wildlife trafficking. Five live tiger cubs suspected of being illegally smuggled into the zoo were also seized during the raid. The five tigers had been declared as having been born at the facility, but DNA tests showed that three of them - one female and two males - were not related to any tigers in the park, suggesting they had been smuggled in, officials said. Authorities removed the two other tigers for further forensics testing and are currently investigating the discovery of the tiger's head at the zoo. The results of DNA tests on a further 20 tigers, including two cubs, will be released in December, according to the Bangkok Post.
