Heartbreaking news is coming out of Colorado Springs and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo as one of their beautiful tigers has tragically passed away after a procedure.

According to 9 News, Savelii the 9-year-old female Amur tiger died from complications during her recovery from an artificial insemination procedure.

According to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Amur tigers are on the brink of extinction with only about 500 remaining in the wild and about 100 in zoos, making the story all the more heartbreaking.

The Zoo had been working for months to get their male tiger, Chewy, into a natural and safe breeding environment, but since natural breeding environments for tigers can sometimes be tricky, unpredictable and many times dangerous, that just never worked out. Tiger behavior is so unpredictable in so many different situations, but especially when breeding, as sometimes the male will get overly aggressive, which can lead to fighting and serious to deadly injuries to one or both of the participants.

Zoo officials and visitors to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo who have come to know and love Savelii over the past several years are absolutely crushed after hearing this devastating news. Even though I have never been to that zoo, I am, too.

R.I.P. Savelii

 

Animals of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

 

 

More From 101.9 KING-FM