Minnesota Zoo mourns 13-year-old Amur Tiger who birthed six cubs

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A 13-year-old Amur Tiger and mother to six cubs was euthanized last week, the Minnesota Zoo announced Thursday.

Sundari, also known as “Dari,” was euthanized due to mesothelioma, an aggressive and incurable form of cancer, the zoo said in a release. She passed peacefully and under expert care.

Born in 2012 at the Apple Valley zoo, Dari gave birth to six cubs: Vera, Brosno, Vostok, Yana, and last spring welcomed Amaliya and Andrei.

In May 2024, two Amur tiger cubs, Andrei (male) and Amaliya (female) were born at the Minnesota Zoo to Dari, fathered by Luka. (Courtesy of the Minnesota Zoo)

“Dari was more than a tiger — she was a powerful ambassador for her species,” said Minnesota Zoo Director John Frawley, in the release. “Her legacy lives on in her cubs and in the hearts she touched.”

An endangered species due to poaching, Amur Tigers hovered near the brink of extinction around the 1930s with an estimated population between 20 and 30, according to the zoo.

Since opening in 1978, 46 Amur tiger cubs have been born at the Minnesota Zoo. Of the 46 cubs, 21 have gone on to produce litters of their own, resulting in another 86 cubs to bolster the population, per the release.

The Minnesota Zoo is also active in several Species Survival Plans, including tigers and Japanese and lion-tailed macaques, that serve as a “genetic insurance policy” against extinction by coordinating with experts to guide breeding decisions and animal transfers.

“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, in the release.

To honor Dari, well wishers are invited to support the Tiger Conservation Fund, donate to the Minnesota Zoo Foundation or visit Dari’s offspring at the Minnesota Zoo, located at 13000 Zoo Boulevard in Apple Valley.

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