Minnesota Zoo euthanizes Amur tiger after cancer diagnosis
The Minnesota Zoo is remembering its 13-year-old female Amur tiger who died over the weekend.
Sundari, known as Dari, was euthanized on July 12 due to an aggressive and incurable form of cancer, according to a Thursday announcement. She was diagnosed with mesothelioma, which is known to occur in wild cats, including tigers.
"Her death is a profound loss to the Minnesota Zoo community and tiger conservation efforts around the world," the zoo said in a news release.
Dari was born at the Minnesota Zoo in June 2012.
Visitors were able to watch Dari give birth to and care for six cubs over the years.
She delivered her last litter, Amaliya and Andrei, in May 2024. Her older cubs are Vera, Brosno, Vostok and Yana.
The zoo says Dari was a "remarkable mother" who loved and played fiercely.
'Dari was more than a tiger—she was a powerful ambassador for her species,' Minnesota Zoo Director John Frawley said in a statement. 'Her legacy lives on in her cubs and in the hearts she touched. Our team is grieving, but we remain committed to our mission: to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife.'
The zoo calls Dari a "key contributor" to the Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan, a global conservation effort to ensure the species doesn't go extinct.
Amur tigers are currently considered endangered, with an estimated 400 left in the wild. The species was on the brink of extinction roughly 80 years ago.
The Minnesota Zoo has facilitated the births of 46 Amur tiger cubs since its 1978 opening in Apple Valley. Nearly half of those cubs later had their own litters, contributing a total of 86 Amur tigers to the species' population, according to the zoo.
This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
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