A 12-year-old Malyan tigress named Tevi was found dead Monday morning at Zoo Miami.
The zoo said the tiger had shown general lethargy and a decrease in appetite about a month ago, but she seemed as if she had recovered. Then last week she showed the same symptoms again.
Officials attempted to give her several treatments, but there was no sign of improvement. On Sunday, veterinarians carried out an in-depth examination, and she appeared jaundiced. She was then scheduled for treatment.
"Unfortunately, she was unable to overcome the severity of her condition. A full necropsy on the body was performed this afternoon and the preliminary diagnosis is that Tevi was indeed suffering from advanced liver failure. We will await the results of several tests that will hopefully lead to a more conclusive diagnosis," the zoo said in an email statement.
She was born on February 28, 2000 at the Cincinnati Zoo and ultimately came to Zoo Miami from the Knoxville Zoo about a decade later.
"This is an especially difficult loss for the zoo as Tevi was part of a very carefully planned breeding program for these highly endangered cats and had been successfully introduced to “Hati,” our resident male Malayan tiger in hopes of producing offspring," the zoo said.
When the cause of death has been established, zoo officials will try to find another mate for Hati.
