Anala the tiger, longtime Franklin Park Zoo resident passes away
One of the longest-tenured residents of the Franklin Park Zoo has passed away.
Anala the tiger was recently euthanized after she was diagnosed with kidney failure back in September. The 17-year-old tiger had inhabited the zoo since 2006 and was one of the first two tigers to live in the zoo in 30 years.
“We all adored Anala, and are going to greatly miss her,” said Chris Bartos, an Assistant Curator at the 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.”
Anala, a Bengal tiger mix, and Luther, a white tiger, were brought to the zoo by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after a sting operation at a wildlife sanctuary that was attempting to sell them.
“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.”
Luther, Anala’s exhibit-mate for 13 years, passed away in 2006.
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.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
