In a heartbreaking incident, Mila, a two-year-old female Amur tiger dedicated to the conservation of her critically endangered species, tragically died at The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado last Friday.
Mila sustained a fatal spinal injury after falling from a waist-high bench during a routine procedure under anesthesia for a scheduled dental surgery.
The Colorado Springs-based zoo announced the devastating news on Wednesday, detailing the incident.
Mila had been placed on the bench under anesthesia but slipped off less than a minute later, leading to her fatal injury.
Despite the immediate and strenuous efforts of the zoo’s team, who administered life-saving treatment for 40 minutes, Mila could not be revived.
“These are impossible life-and-death decisions being made in real time by a team that has dedicated their lives to the care of animals,” said Bob Chastain, President and CEO of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Mila, born at the Toronto Zoo in April 2021, had been transferred to Colorado in March with hopes of future breeding.
As the sole survivor of her litter, she gained international attention through the zoo’s social media updates.
Her introduction to zoo visitors was postponed due to a severe dental issue that required treatment to prevent a potentially fatal infection.
The zoo had meticulously prepared Mila for her dental procedure, training her to receive anesthesia voluntarily. However, as the anesthesia took effect, the tragic accident occurred.
Eric Klaphake, the zoo’s head veterinarian, noted that while Mila’s fall could have happened without causing harm, the unpredictability of such incidents led to this unfortunate outcome.
Amur tigers are critically endangered, with about 500 individuals left in their natural habitats and roughly 100 in captivity.
The species nearly went extinct in the 1940s and remains at risk due to poaching and habitat destruction.
Reflecting on Mila’s death, Chastain remarked, “Not only was she an internationally beloved individual who defied the odds as a cub and survived to adulthood, but she was also here on a mission to save her species.”
Dolf DeJong, CEO of the Toronto Zoo, expressed profound sorrow over Mila’s loss, highlighting her impact on the community and her role in inspiring efforts to conserve her species in the wild.
Mila’s unexpected death underscores the challenges those committed to protecting the world’s endangered wildlife face.
Read more Wildlife News.
