WINNIPEG – Sad news from the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg. Zoo staff report, “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Kendra, the beloved matriarch Amur tiger at Assiniboine Park Zoo. Over the last one to two years, Kendra developed progressive, age-related arthritis. With some assistance and veterinary care, she has managed pretty well and was still comfortable. However, her condition has declined significantly over the past couple of weeks, and so the very difficult decision was made to euthanize her”.
Kendra was born at the St. Louis Zoo in March of 1999, and she arrived at the Assiniboine Park Zoo on May 14, 2007. During her 18 year life, Kendra had two litters, one of which was at the Assiniboine Park Zoo.
In July of 2011, she gave birth to Sarma and Reka who quickly became adored by Zoo staff and visitors alike. Sadly, Reka passed away in August 2012. Sarma moved on to the Cherry Brook Zoo in Saint John, New Brunswick in November of 2013 as part of the Species Survival Program.
“Losing Kendra is like losing a member of the Assiniboine Park Zoo family and we are all in mourning. In particular, we would like to express our most heartfelt condolences to the Zookeepers who worked with her and cared for her every day. She was loved,” state the Assiniboine Park Zoo.
