Minnesota Zoo: Amur tiger ‘Dari,’ mother to 6 cubs, dies at 13

Dari, a 13-year-old Amur tiger at the Minnesota Zoo who gave birth to six cubs over the years, has died, the zoo announced on Thursday.

Born in captivity at the Minnesota Zoo in June 2012, Dari, short for Sundari, suffered from mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer commonly found in tigers and other wild felines. Zoo officials say she was humanely euthanized on Saturday.

She leaves behind six cubs, Vera, Brosno, Vostok, Yana, Amaliya and Andrei.

RELATED: 2 rare Amur tiger cubs born at the Minnesota Zoo

“Dari was more than a tiger — she was a powerful ambassador for her species,” said Minnesota Zoo Director John Frawley. “Her legacy lives on in her cubs and in the hearts she touched. Our team is grieving, but we remain committed to our mission: to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife.” 

The Minnesota Zoo is a participant in the global Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan, which the zoo calls a “genetic insurance policy” against extinction. As part of the program, zookeepers caring for Dari shared insights about her maternal behaviors with other zoos.

“Through her life, Dari gave the SSP program what it needed most — consistency, maternal excellence, and critical genetic contribution. She nurtured her cubs with extraordinary love and helped guide a new generation of care for tiger mothers,” said Trista Fischer, Minnesota Zoo zoologist and coordinator of the Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan
The post Minnesota Zoo: Amur tiger ‘Dari,’ mother to 6 cubs, dies at 13 first appeared on KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News.