FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - An endangered Malayan tiger that sired four cubs born in January at a Northern California zoo has died, zoo officials said.
The tiger, named Paka, was euthanized Saturday at the age of 17 after his health had sharply declined over the last several weeks, Fresno Chaffee Zoo spokeswoman Lisa Condoian said.
“Paka started showing signs of declining health in September 2013,” Condoian said. And though he improved for a short time, she said, staff noticed “a dramatic change in him, both physically and mentally” on March 17.
The life span of a Malayan tiger is about 16 to 20 years, so Paka was considered an older tiger, Condoian said.
“It has been difficult to watch Paka decline,” the zoo’s assistant curator, Lyn Myers, said in a statement. “He was a very active and vocal tiger who was always engaged with our staff and guests. He was a joy to work with and he will be missed by all.”
A necropsy is being performed to determine the exact cause of the tiger’s health problems, but results won’t be ready for several weeks. Paka’s health issues are believed to be related to his age, Condoian said.
The Malayan tiger is a subspecies that lives Southeast Asia and has been classified as endangered since 2008. Experts believe there are only about 500 of them left.
Paka sired 14 cubs during his life, which Condoian said was an important contribution to the conservation of his kind.
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