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12-year-old 'Putin' the tiger dies at Minnesota zoo after 'heroic attempt' by doctors

'Putin', an Amur tiger, lost its life due to heart failure

A tiger named Putin died unexpectedly at the Minnesota Zoo after suffering cardiac failure during a regular medical procedure. While the world fears the name ‘Putin’ due to the ongoing war that could potentially turn nuclear, many people have mourned for ‘Putin’ the tiger. Moreover, in a North American breeding program, Putin was deemed "one of the most genetically important Amur tigers." The loss has greatly affected the people who groomed the big cat.

The Siberian or Amur tiger was born in 2009 in the Czech Republic. After spending six years at the Denmark Zoo, he was transferred to the Minnesota Zoo in 2015. According to a press release from the zoo, Putin, 12, died on Wednesday, March 23 following "heroic emergency attempts". Minnesota Zoo Director John Frawley said in the release, “Today is an incredibly hard day for all of us at the Minnesota Zoo and we will be mourning for quite some time.” He added, “While this loss is great, we can be proud of our efforts – past, present, and future – to advance tiger conservation worldwide.”

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The fact that ‘Putin’ is an Amur tiger has hit people especially hard since, according to the Russian Geographical Society, Amur tigers are a threatened species on the IUCN Red List, with 95 percent of its population living in eastern Russia. They are the world's largest tiger species, living up to 18 years in the wild and 25 years in captivity. ‘Putin’ was a darling who has aided in breeding efforts for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan. He fathered several cubs and one of them was born in 2017 at the Minnesota Zoo. Gladly, his descendants will firm the species' existence.

The standard medical treatment, according to the Minnesota Zoo, was important for the care and conservation of tigers and was scheduled weeks in advance. In a statement, Taylor Yaw, the zoo's chief of animal care, health, and conservation, said, "All necessary precautions were taken, and the team did everything within their power to save this animal." Many people have expressed their condolences to the tiger’s caregivers and have given comfort to the team that fought hard to save him.

One person on Twitter wrote, “Thank you to the staff for doing all they could to help Putin during this procedure. I'm a grieving Minnesotan for this beautiful tiger.” while another said, “All condolences to his keepers. Be on your way in tranquility, big guy. You were, and always will be, loved.💔” However, there were also tweets that seemed super controversial, like “Bunch of lies but you can act like you didn't kill him because of his name. You're horrible and you should be ashamed.” Another tweet alleged, “Coincidence? I don't think so…”