BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Zoo has announced the passing of its female Amur tiger, Zhanna.
Zhanna came from the Bronx Zoo to the Buffalo Zoo in 2019. At 18 years old, she was considered the "old lady" among the big cats, since female Amur tigers typically live between 14 and 16 years.
According to the zoo, Zhanna had been showing signs of aging, and in recent days her health had noticeably declined.
The zoo says it made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize Zhanna. A necropsy will be conducted to understand the reason for her health decline.
"Zhanna loved her routine, surveying and patrolling her habitat. She had a particular fondness for goat's milk, and true to tiger form, loved perfume (the stinkier, the better). Zhanna inspired thousands of guests to care about her endangered species, serving as a powerful ambassador for wildlife conservation," the Buffalo Zoo said in a statement. "We know Zhanna meant so much to so many. We encourage our Buffalo Zoo community to share their favorite memories of Zhanna in the comments, and thank everyone for their support and sympathy during this difficult time."
