16-year-old rare tiger euthanized at Lousiville Zoo shortly after cub’s birth

LOUISVILLE, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — Staff have said their final goodbyes to a rare Sumatran tiger who called the Louisville Zoo home for two years.

According to the zoo, 16-year-old Kami arrived in Louisville in 2022, leaving a “notable legacy” behind. Kami had sired six tiger cubs, the most recent born in July.

The zoo in a news release said that as Kami got older, he began to show signs of advanced age and an “unexpected decline in his health.”

“Despite intensive care, medications, and pain management, further examination revealed that Kami was suffering from a decline in kidney function and anemia, which is often indicative of underlying cancer, such as lymphoma—a condition frequently observed in geriatric tigers,” the Louisville Zoo said.

It was a difficult decision, the zoo said, but medical staff ultimately decided to euthanize Kami.

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“Saying goodbye to a member of our extended family is hard, but we always consider an animal’s wellbeing and what’s best for their overall outcome,” said Dan Maloney, director of the Louisville Zoo. “Our focus now is celebrating the incredible legacy Kami has left behind, both from his offspring and his impact as an ambassador for his species. Throughout his life, Kami helped inspire millions of guests to care deeply about wildlife and we honor his contribution to tiger conservation efforts.”

Kami’s final tiger cub is still spending time bonding with his mom, but the zoo said it hopes to invite guests to meet the cub soon.

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