One of Minnesota's Favorite Animals Passed Away Suddenly at Zoo

An extremely sad announcement was shared to fans of the Minnesota Zoo on Thursday, March 24th. One of the beloved animals that many came to visit and get photos of sadly passed away.

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It’s with heavy hearts that we share that the Zoo’s 12-year-old male Amur tiger passed away yesterday during a routine medical procedure. Despite heroic emergency efforts from animal care staff, he did not survive. This is a profound loss for the Zoo. We would like to extend our thanks to the dedicated animal care team for their commitment to the animals and tiger conservation worldwide. - Minnesota Zoo Facebook page

Photo by Pauline Bernfeld on Unsplash

According to the press release, Putin, the Amur Tiger that passed away, was born in 2009 in the Czech Republic. Before arriving at the Minnesota Zoo, Putin lived at the Demark Zoo for six years.

“This was a routine procedure that is a vital part of our care and conservation work for tigers. We plan weeks ahead for these types of exams. All necessary precautions were taken, and the team did everything within their power to save this animal. We’ll continue to learn more in the days and months ahead, and we are grateful for the support of the University of Minnesota’s pathology team for their expertise and support as a necropsy is conducted.” -said Dr. Taylor Yaw, the Minnesota Zoo’s Chief of Animal Care, Health and Conservation.

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