Amur Tiger Malena Dies at 11 After Hip Surgery

[{"selector":"#anim-08a2e1d2-a5f6-41a5-baa3-3f79bcd15fdf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7f876f8-ca77-4e53-9968-38fa37bcbdb8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b37b51ff-c60b-4848-bbd4-229b6965ed92","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bf19e338-12d6-4057-ac27-041260c97e3b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Amur Tiger Malena Dies at 11 After Hip Surgery Karmactive Staff

Malena, an 11-year-old Amur tiger at Brookfield Zoo, died on May 23 after a battle with kidney failure and heart problems.

[{"selector":"#anim-44417c88-72e7-493b-b1b2-9c068c562676","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77e3159d-23c4-4b3a-a4b1-c79f6529728a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aea8c560-64a7-4f7c-b383-2c8679d2e80b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1900384e-7358-4178-9bdb-4ac1363438f9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-121635c6-11eb-45b8-8d2b-22ee170be6fd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Brookfield Zoo Chicago

Veterinarians made the difficult decision to euthanize her when tests revealed her condition was likely caused by an undiagnosed cancer.

[{"selector":"#anim-60d4dcfa-504b-40aa-9cb0-52790c04eeb1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1088239a-6bd7-4ee1-a157-03d0655cda51","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.04866%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9102c64a-b461-46a5-9dcc-420f66993a81","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-67ddead8-b0ef-4b33-a8b7-77ba72abbf33","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c6cf383-6336-499f-b646-0c17a6885e17","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Brookfield Zoo Chicago

"She had a quiet strength. She was majestic, but also gentle," said one caregiver who worked closely with her.

[{"selector":"#anim-685e53a7-92b3-4634-86ce-e8181585c1aa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-efcc2cf1-b30c-465d-857f-3718029f5ef9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-52612899-3906-4f1b-ae1c-615a183361c6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-487df7b6-52da-4ac2-a317-427a2c84843f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a06335f-f8a7-4c79-9a1a-f8b175a6e748","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Brookfield Zoo Chicago

Did you know Amur tigers make a special sound called "chuffing"? Malena greeted her keepers each morning with this soft, breathy tiger hello.

[{"selector":"#anim-9d63dfa0-bc3d-42d7-a283-cb4de2f40294","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f1a241cb-5e6e-474b-a165-201ca01e1280","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef702dc0-1203-4c6a-963a-4205277b732a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5b0236e-93a9-4a76-8f1f-4f6a27138ae4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d30f2026-52b8-4ae1-86b3-0a947ca1762d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Charles Barilleaux (CC BY 2.0)

Staff nicknamed her "not much of a morning cat" because she preferred lounging on her custom-built beds rather than early activities.

[{"selector":"#anim-5e4c6078-0d6a-4063-bfbc-d94ec0dc1231","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a9b4b90e-efac-4c0d-b411-98ab69ba4385","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a622ee24-d630-4806-be5d-fa00b70003bd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-21eac5bd-bddd-4b19-b4fe-8802fd7ac047","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a8f7350-bd48-4037-8c45-3f846a7634de","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Brookfield Zoo Chicago

In 2021, Malena became the first Amur tiger in North America to receive a total hip replacement with a custom-designed implant.

[{"selector":"#anim-de66cdb9-dd2c-4cea-a021-e804e2262966","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c483f246-0a80-458f-ba68-97152e1837bc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.04866%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b79a2756-6921-4e04-9ade-f47e694a5816","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-03ec7532-d0a3-4906-967c-d14f1d1e28cd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8e9b797-aee8-4ed8-a1bd-e1855dc70266","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Charles Barilleaux (CC BY 2.0)

The surgery required advanced planning with CT scans and practice on 3D-printed models of her hip before doctors could perform the actual procedure.

[{"selector":"#anim-f2294c30-5334-4bae-ba12-54be6d339487","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a34ed222-88be-4d75-b34f-1d10f7a6d03b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa75f017-6a3e-42f1-9c4b-288f5effe97e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fcdd2ca1-beb9-452c-8f59-5c1a067df1ee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-549db6de-f384-4fed-973d-179881e85925","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Brookfield Zoo Chicago

When her first implant dislodged, Malena underwent a second surgery—proving her incredible resilience in the face of medical challenges.

[{"selector":"#anim-54a4c58d-eaf5-4714-989b-82ec0bd94aec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-175b3273-8df7-4f71-996f-a98ccf829330","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b9673c9-fae8-4adf-849a-cb8c80c741c4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6c4149a7-7921-49d1-a47f-5c5bbc3191e6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4815bc4-770e-41d7-b5d5-4d7fc755b8c6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Brookfield Zoo Chicago

Fewer than 500 Amur tigers remain in the wild today, primarily in Russia's Far East and northeastern China.

[{"selector":"#anim-4764d15f-9b38-4ce9-bbb4-6bb7a0bd2bb2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5549d7ec-c9a8-4d05-8f3d-0acea982297e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 250.71511%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ffa1ca3-0de5-4852-8dbe-262b2f9eec19","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1d1d015d-d087-47a0-9b12-9c40e694bba9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-de249086-689e-4c3f-8a9a-bbed3e5b48a7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0)

What threats do these magnificent cats face? Poaching, habitat loss, and human encroachment continue to push them toward extinction.

[{"selector":"#anim-1330deb6-2bc2-4a02-b4d2-a0776c1a3c2b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e3b08ba0-719a-4b13-b482-ebe8e181bf2b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0070b600-bbe7-4055-9f6d-aba2df94063c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46668e5d-0a82-4363-b4c5-a19335c1b4d2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0b5cea9b-23b6-4ae2-9b38-c1c061e27a6e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Appaloosa (CC BY-SA 3.0)

One visitor wrote: "My kids always looked forward to seeing Malena. She had a regal presence that captivated us all.

[{"selector":"#anim-0380271d-92d6-492f-82ce-d17b64f0686b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63b70c09-00da-49b5-82d6-5bcf9c83b5f3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.8299%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4693190f-9e18-40dd-99c3-ac84a9da0501","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b4a8c96-6ad7-4e18-9be3-007d5bd52692","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-21015fc9-4070-43de-8280-0e092ae325a1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Mark (CC BY-NC 2.0) Learn more

Brookfield Zoo continues to care for another Amur tiger named Whirl as part of ongoing conservation efforts to save this endangered species.

[{"selector":"#anim-599dff1f-ce73-4f44-8c66-a4e42fc1711c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e5328e1-3737-491a-aa24-332ad8067fe6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-05377b29-b256-4ecf-89a1-c7a5bebea8d7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c03f8cb9-c1cf-4250-baed-b52cfe4879b1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69ef3386-0598-4261-aa49-3bada4f618ae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Diego F. Parra (Pexels)

[{"selector":"#anim-c009ab4a-f672-4bb1-a318-4b6a38c1709f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f2f648e-1af1-496e-9749-48741aa444d5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-92321d09-4601-433a-930a-935483846fac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7678878-46ec-4c1e-83be-839b1d1e09ab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c108575-3c27-4f78-bece-767b48492691","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Yellowstone Grizzly Research Team Faces Major Cuts Learn more