On Thursday, the eighteen-year-old tigress “Sara” passed away in her enclosure at the Nandankanan Zoological Park, which is located outside of Bhubaneswar.
Sara passed away while receiving treatment from health issues related to ageing.
As part of an animal exchange programme in 2006, Sara was transferred as a five-month-old cub from the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh to Nandankanan Zoo.
A key player in the zoo’s conservation breeding programme, the tigress gave birth to Asha, Ankita, and Subhashree in 2012, introducing new bloodlines.
In 2024, Sara began to experience age-related illnesses. On February 29, she started to feel worse. She looked weak and lifeless and refused to eat. She had trouble breathing and was even unable to stand.
After receiving care from a group of medical professionals, she somewhat recovered. But on March 21, her health started to decline once more. Sara was discovered to have weak breathing. After receiving treatment, Sara eventually passed away in spite of the best efforts of a team of doctors.
Sara was a beloved wild tigress and an essential member of the Nandankanan family, according to the zoo authorities.
