A zoo in Florida said it euthanized a beloved 15-year-old tiger named Berani due to health reasons. (Zoo Miami)
Miami
A zoo in Florida is mourning the loss of one of its tigers.
According to Zoo Miami, a 15-year-old Sumatran tiger named Berani was euthanized Thursday afternoon after test results revealed he was suffering from spleen cancer.
Berani reportedly had lost his appetite over the last several days and was very lethargic.
“Sadly, due to his advanced age and an extremely poor prognosis for any improvement, the very difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize him to provide him the dignity in death that he displayed throughout his life,” the zoo team said.
The Sumatran tiger was born at the San Francisco Zoo in March 2008 before being brought to Miami in 2013 as part of a Species Survival Plan recommendation.
He was paired with a female named Leeloo and successfully sired a male cub named Satu in 2015 along with a female cub named Ndari in 2021.
“As we sadly announce his passing, we will soon be announcing something much more uplifting that will only add to this magnificent cat’s legacy,” the zoo shared.
There are believed to be less than 500 Sumatran tigers left in the wild. According to the zoo, their biggest threats are habitat loss to palm oil plantations and poaching.