6-year-old tiger dies at Point Defiance Zoo due to injuries sustained during a breeding attempt

A tiger at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, WA, died earlier today after sustaining injuries during a breeding introduction, the zoo announced.

Kirana was a six-year-old female Sumatran tiger that the zoo introduced to a two-year-old male tiger named Raja on Friday for breeding purposes. Raja attacked Kirana and zookeepers worked to separate them and addressed Kirana’s life-threatening injuries, according to a social media post made by the zoo. Kirana survived the weekend but passed away this morning.

The Point Defiance Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Kirana’s breeding was approved by the organization’s Species Survival Plan, which works to permanently imprison populations of animals in captivity.

The Point Defiance Zoo said Kirana was a wonderful ambassador for captive tiger conservation.

“Kirana reminded us all that tigers are majestic, beautiful animals at risk of extinction,” Point Defiance Zoo said.