DETROIT — The Detroit Zoo announced the death of an 18-year-old Amur tiger on Thursday.
Kisa, who would have turned 19 on Aug. 12, was the oldest tiger in the facility’s Devereux Tiger Forest, zoo officials wrote in a Facebook post. The tiger, who was born at the Detroit Zoo, shared a habitat with fellow tigers Nikolai and Ameliya.
“Her absence leaves a hole in our hearts, and she will be missed by staff and guests alike,” zoo officials wrote on Facebook.
According to Betsie Meister, the zoo’s associate curator of mammals, Kisa “followed her own set of rules.”
Despite her independence and “spirited attitude,” Kisa was mild-mannered with animal care staff and was a favorite among those who worked with her for nearly two decades, Meister said.
The life expectancy of Amur tigers is generally between 10 and 15 years, zoo officials said.
Kisa died during a veterinary procedure that was meant to manage the tiger’s arthritis symptoms and improve her quality of life, officials said.
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