Milana Doné
RACINE — A tiger at the Racine Zoo died July 26, outliving the average lifespan of her wild counterparts.
Changbai the Amur tiger was born at the Philadelphia Zoo on May 24, 2007, making her 19 at the time of her passing. Wild Amur tigers generally live between 10 and 15 years.
She lived at the Beardsley Zoo in Connecticut and the Columbus Zoo in Ohio before residing in Wisconsin. In Columbus, Changbai was featured in the National Geographic program, "Secrets of the Zoo."
Changbai came to the Racine Zoo in 2023.
According to a news release from the zoo, the carnivore team will remember her strong will, fierce independence, stunning beauty and elegance. She could often be found stalking the staff as they went about their days.
The zoo said Chanbai often would hide and watch keepers work, waiting for them to notice her and offer her favorite snacks. Other times, she took long naps in the sun, regardless of the outside temperatures.
According to the zoo, Chanbai would shred paper catalogs and cardboard boxes into small pieces, especially when they were sprayed with her favorite scent — root beer extract.
Zoo staff tracked Changbai's known medical issues throughout her stay and trained her to participate in her own medical care by presenting her abdomen, teeth, paws and tail, which helped staff maintain her health and detect any issues.
Changbai's health quickly declined early this summer, and she was euthanized July 26 while surrounded by her favorite staff members.
Posts
