GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — John Ball Zoo staff are mourning after their 18-year-old Amur tiger, named Nika, was euthanized.
A post on the zoo's Facebook page says Nika had suffered from arthritis in her old age and had been struggling in recent weeks. Veterinary staff gave Nika a checkup and quality of life evaluation, and zoo staff made the decision to humanely euthanize her.
Nika was born at Beardsley Zoo in Connecticut in 2005, where she stayed until moving to Potter Park Zoo Lansing in 2009. There, she gave birth to four cubs as part of an Amur tiger breeding program.
She then came to John Ball Zoo in May 2014. She was the first tiger to move into the Tigers of the Realm habitat at the zoo.
Zoo staff say they are thankful for their time with her.
"As female tigers have a life expectancy of about 14 years in AZA-accredited institutions, we feel incredibly lucky to have spent some of Nika’s 18 years with her," the post reads. "Nika served as a wonderful ambassador for her species, and she is going to be dearly missed by everyone who cared for her."
Amur tigers are listed as critically endangered. Only 350 to 450 Amur tigers are estimated to remain in the wild, where they have a life expectancy of eight to 10 years.
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