Zoo New England’s Franklin Park Zoo is saddened to share that Anala, a 17-year-old female tiger, died on November 14.

Anala had been closely monitored by her care team following an exam in September that revealed she was in kidney failure, and, sadly, her condition was chronic and irreversible. At 17 years old, Anala was a geriatric cat, and unfortunately kidney issues in a cat her age are not uncommon. In recent days, Anala’s health steadily declined, and the decision was made to humanely euthanize her for quality of life reasons.

“We all adored Anala, and are going to greatly miss her,” said Chris Bartos, an Assistant Curator at Zoo New England’s Franklin Park Zoo. “While this is sad news to share, we take comfort in knowing that Anala inspired and brought so much joy to so many of our visitors through the years.”

When the Tiger Tales habitat opened in 2006, it marked the first time that tigers had been exhibited at Franklin Park Zoo in 30 years. Anala, a Bengal mix, and Luther, a white tiger who passed away in 2019 due to cancer, were both confiscated as young cubs by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agents during a sting operation at a wildlife sanctuary that was attempting to sell them. Franklin Park Zoo was happy to provide a home for these tigers, and through their story educate the public about illegal wildlife trafficking and unethical exploitation.

“Anala was an incredible ambassador for her species, and we are deeply saddened to share the news of her passing,” said John Linehan, Zoo New England President and CEO. “She lived at Franklin Park Zoo for most of her life, and had such an incredible presence. In the many years that she lived here, her story helped us teach so many people about illegal wildlife trafficking, the human exploitation of tigers and the importance of protecting and preserving the incredible biodiversity on our planet.”

The illegal wildlife trafficking trade has had a devastating effect on wild tiger populations. It is estimated that there are between 3,726 and 5,578 tigers in the wild worldwide, according to an assessment by IUCN.

Please note: For the time-being, the Tiger Tales habitat will not be occupied. Future announcements about plans for this space will be shared on our website and social media channels.

Photo courtesy of Sean Molloy