INDIANAPOLIS — Pavel, the male Amur tiger, passed away on Tuesday, the Indianapolis Zoo shared on Facebook.
According to the post, staff noticed Pavel had become noticeably lethargic and had a significant decrease in appetite for the past several days. The animal care team made the tough decision to humanely euthanize him after a medical exam.
Pavel experienced renal failure, meaning his kidneys were no longer functioning properly. This is a common condition in geriatric tigers, according to the post. He was also arthritic and had tremors associated with his renal failure.
The Indianapolis Zoo stated Pavel lived a long life for an Amur tiger, passing away at nearly 18 years old. According to the post, he came to the Indianapolis Zoo in 2021.
In the post, his keepers described him as “a gentle giant who was a training rockstar,” and “loved his tire and stinky perfume." He was “the sweetest ole gentleman,” and “was so kind to his cubs (whom he roomed next door to) and also loved to lounge in his pool.”
The Amur tiger, formerly known as the Siberian tiger, is endangered, with fewer than 500 living in the wild, according to the post.
The Indianapolis Zoo said it remains committed to conserving the species. Their female Amur tiger, Zoya, remains on exhibit.
