The tigress removed from the village of Solontsovy in the Khabarovsk Territory has died at the Centre for the Rehabilitation and Reintroduction of Tigers and Other Rare Animals. Specialists believe age-related diseases were the cause of death.

“We saw improvements, but approximately on Wednesday, 7 February, the tigress started to refuse food. We continued with supporting therapy, but her age and illnesses won out,” said Viktor Kuzmenko, director of the rehabilitation centre.

After research, specialists found out that the tigress’ disease was natural and she did not have any human-inflicted injuries. When the tigress was taken to the centre, she was severely emaciated, which is why she had to look for people’s help.

“She came to people in a hopeless condition, extremely emaciated. She didn’t even have any fat around her heart. In this case, there was nothing we could do to save her. The tigress had trouble moving, which affected her ability to hunt wild animals,” noted Sergei Aramilev, general director of the Amur Tiger Centre.

The autopsy results have been sent away for analysis that will show which disease caused emaciation.