Marwell Zoo keepers pay tribute to 'lovable' male tiger
Bagai the Amur tiger has been put to sleep after suffering age-related symptoms
Last updated 25th Jun 2024
A male Amur tiger has been described as a 'big character' by keepers at Marwell Zoo following his death at the age of 12.
Bagai had been at the wildlife park near Winchester since December 2013, when he arrived as an 18-month-old from a zoo in Wuppertal in Germany.
The zoo said he had been on medication for age related symptoms for a while, which had sadly worsened.
Teams made the 'incredibly difficult' decision to euthanise him on Monday morning (June 24th).
Carrie Arnold, Carnivore Team Leader at Marwell Wildlife, said:
"Bagai had a huge personality that never failed to make you smile every day.
"He was lovable, goofy and cheeky. He was always playing "hide and seek" with his keepers, trying to hide behind rocks and plants, not realising he was bigger than all of them.
"Valentina and Bagai were a very close pair and could often be seen next to each other. They would spend time grooming, playing and sleeping together. We will be ensuing that Valentina is closely monitored in the coming weeks."
“Bagai had a huge personality and was loved by everyone that saw him. He will be missed by all who knew him, especially his keepers and the vet team.”
He has played an important role in the conservation of his species, having previously fathered cubs at Marwell with former mate Milla.
Bagai became a father to three healthy cubs - Makari, Bailla and Zima - in 2016 and they’ve now gone on to have cubs of their own.
Following the death of Milla in 2020, Bagai struck up a playful relationship with Valentina who arrived at Marwell in December of the same year.
The pair have shared Marwell’s Amur tiger habitat ever since and are often seen exploring the space together.
Amur tigers are the largest of the big cat breeds. They are known for their distinctive black on orange markings, which are unique to each individual tiger.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list Amur tigers as Endangered with numbers declining in the wild.