Endangered female tiger dies after fight with male during introduction at UK zoo
A rare female tiger has died after being severely injured during an introduction with a male tiger, a United Kingdom zoo announced.
Eight-year-old Valentina, an Amur or Siberian tiger, was introduced to male tiger Pasha when the two animals became physically involved, the Marwell Wildlife zoo said in a July 2 Facebook post.
“Introducing big cats always carries significant risk both in zoos and in the wild. Since Pasha’s arrival in February, our animal teams have been observing both tigers closely and had noticed encouraging behaviors with no signs of aggression,” zoo officials said. “Our expert teams were monitoring the situation closely, were well-prepared, and acted swiftly to draw Pasha away.”
The situation escalated quickly, officials said, and while the team intervened when it was safe to do so, Valentina had been fatally injured.
Pasha sustained minor injuries and is being treated, the zoo said.
“Valentina was a much-loved and charismatic character of the zoo family, who captured the hearts of our teams and guests alike,” officials said.
The female tiger joined Marwell Wildlife in 2020 after a transfer from the Czech Republic’s Hodonin Zoo, and previously mixed with male tiger Bagai.
“She will be deeply missed by her keepers, who formed a strong bond with her, our veterinary team, wider Marwell teams and our guests,” officials said.
Amur tigers are the largest subspecies of tiger and are found across Russia, northern China and Korea, according to the Zoological Society of London.
At one point, there were estimated to be between 265 and 486 Amur tigers left in the wild. There were fewer than 50 in the wild by the 1940s until hunting was banned after World War II, the ZSL says.
Their population bounced back initially but is once again under threats from poaching and habitat degradation, the ZSL says.
“We do ask at this difficult time that our teams are given the necessary time to process this situation,” Marwell Wildlife said. “Our priority is the wellbeing of our teams and ensuring Pasha receives the care he needs.”
Marwell Wildlife is located in Winchester, England, about a 75-mile drive southeast from London.
This story was originally published July 2, 2025 at 1:29 PM with the headline "Endangered female tiger dies after fight with male during introduction at UK zoo."
