Oakland Zoo’s last rescued tiger, Mia, died on Wednesday after her veterinary team determined she had cancer that had spread throughout her body, according to announcement on the Zoo’s Instagram page.
The Oakland Zoo stated that Mia’s cancer had advanced and treatment would have been “extensive and invasive,” leading to her care team to make the decision to euthanize. Mia is the second tiger to be euthanized this year from Oakland Zoo.
“Mia lived a wonderful life at Oakland Zoo, and the story of her journey teaches us many lessons,” Oakland Zoo wrote.
The Oakland Zoo rescued Mia and another tiger named Lola from a roadside zoo in Oklahoma in 2022. The living conditions for the pair of big cats were kept in tiny cages that were “severely substandard,” according to Oakland Zoo.
In January, Oakland Zoo noticed that Lola had developed a limp on her right front paw. Her handlers provided her immediate treatment, but she became “increasingly uncomfortable” and was taken for an emergency examination at the zoo’s veterinary hospital.
Her care team identified a severe infection that had spread throughout her body. After numerous rounds of antibiotics were unsuccessful, a decision was made to euthanize her, according to the zoo. Lola was estimated to be 12 years old, according to Oakland Zoo.
More recently, Mia’s animal care team noted she was eating ls and not thriving to her full capacity. When she was examined, veterinarians found diagnosed she had advanced cancer that had dismal options for treatment. Mia’s medical team made the difficult decision to euthanize the big cat, Oakland Zoo wrote.
“The Zoo is committed to keeping the tiger habitat for future tigers in need of a home. At this time, we are reviewing our options and will update you as soon as we have plans for the space,” Oakland Zoo wrote on Instagram. “We were honored to provide them with a better life, offering them the highest standards of animal welfare and veterinary care.”