Hogle Zoo mourns loss of beloved Siberian tiger

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Salt Lake City's Hogle Zoo announced the passing of senior and regal resident Siberian tiger, Cila.

Zoo officials said the Siberian tiger, also known as the Amur tiger, has a life expectancy in the wild of 10 to 15 years.

Cila lived to be 18.5-years-old.

“We celebrate when animals are born, we maintain that celebration throughout the rest of their life, even in their twilight years. We care for animals at every stage in life, and remain consistent throughout” Bob Cisneros, Associate Director of Animal Care said following Cila's death.

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According to the zoo, veterinary staff and animal care professionals sought to make Cila as comfortable as possible through her senior years.

Despite the expert care, officials said Cila had a rapid decline in her health. Ultimately, the staff decided to let her pass in peace.

Born on April 17, 2003, Cila arrived at the Hogle Zoon in 2015 from the Indianapolis Zoo.

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"Cila was a favorite amongst the Asian Highlands keepers. In her old age, she demanded a lot more attention than some of the younger cats, so we spent a lot of time in the day making sure she was carefully observed and attended to. The Asian Highlands area is sadly a bit quieter without Cila's typical calls and vocalizations, and there is a tiger size hole in our hearts. Cila will be terribly missed," Melanie Kuse, Animal Care Supervisor at Asian Highlands said in a statement.

Siberian tigers normally occupy parts of Russia, China and possible North Korea along the Amur River.

The species is considered "critically endangered" with an estimated 500-550 tigers left in the wild.