Thursday, Mar 28 2024
All Cities
Choose Your City
'In Siberia… the land is richly blessed and all that is needed is to make the most of it'
0

Sadness as tigress who came in from wild to ask for human help dies

By 0 and 0 and 0
14 February 2018

0

She even jumped up to a higher level in her cage, but in the middle of last week the animal stopped eating. Picture: PRNCO 'Tiger Center'

The ten year old Siberian - or Amur - tigress was already exhausted when she bravely defied her natural instincts and walked out of the forest to lie down on a villager’s doorstep.

The wild animal, normally shy of people, seemed to be saying: ‘Please help me.’

She gave a few growls but seemed to want humans to come close and help her.

Her story went around the world after it was highlighted in The Siberian Times. 

Experts who rushed to the scene in Khabarovsk region found the predator was suffering from a severe tooth and gum problem: there were no upper teeth.

Tigress in rehabilitation centre


Tigress in rehabilitation centre

'Vets did everything they could. Sadly, the tigress couldn't fight her illness.' Picture: PRNCO 'Tiger Center'

This prevented her hunting and eating, and left the tigress emaciated and weak. 

She was taken to a rehabilitation centre in neighbouring Primorsky region, and she began taking mashed food and gaining in strength. 

She even jumped up to a higher level in her cage, but in the middle of last week the animal stopped eating, and scientists had already noticed she had many other health problems. 

'Age and illnesses took over,' said Viktor Kuzmenko, director of the Amur Tiger Centre .

She died on 10 February, her carers announced. 

'Vets did everything they could,' he said. 'Sadly, the tigress couldn't fight her illness.

Tigress sedated


Tigress


Tigress

The ten year old Siberian - or Amur - tigress was already exhausted when she bravely defied her natural instincts and walked out of the forest to lie down on a villager’s doorstep. Picture: PRNCO 'Tiger Center'

'She was in a hopeless state, extremely exhausted, there even was no fat on her heart. 

'Nothing could have saved her. The tigress didn't have injuries or wounds caused by people. 

'Her illness had natural origins. Because of the illness, the tigress couldn't move normally, which caused her ability to hunt.

The big cats are among the rarest in the world, with only 500 or so still alive in their natural habitat in eastern Russia. 

Yet despite the sad loss of this tigress, the species is making comeback due to major new efforts to protect the predators.

Comments (2)

Heartbreaking news, poor tigress. We have lost again a miraculous animal...
Many thanks for her helpers and the director, Viktor Kuzmenko.
Gábor Debrődi, Hungary
18/02/2018 12:41
11
0
Heartbreaking news and I hope the cause of her illness can be determined for understanding and identification of anything that might be impacting the entire eco-system. Thank you to everyone involved in caring for her and to the homeowner who recognized quickly that she was looking for help. Hopefully her last days were far better than what would have been. Nature has a memory, in my opinion.
Pamela K Tetarenko, League City, USA
15/02/2018 07:52
11
0
1

Add your comment

We welcome a healthy debate, but do not accept offensive or abusive comments. Please also read 'Siberian Times' Privacy Policy

Name

Town/Country

Add your comments

The views expressed in the comments above are those of our readers. 'Siberian Times' reserves the right to pre-moderate some comments.

Control code*

Type the code

* obligatory


News

Business

The Bank of Russia official exchange rates of foreign currencies
EUR100.27USD92.59GBP116.93Other...