Sigoro euthanized after treatment for chronic disease fails

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- A 16-year-old male Siberian tiger suffering from chronic degenerative osteoarthritis has been euthanized at theTulsa Zoo, officials said Tuesday. A staff veterinarian euthanized

Wednesday, July 19th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- A 16-year-old male Siberian tiger suffering from chronic degenerative osteoarthritis has been euthanized at theTulsa Zoo, officials said Tuesday. A staff veterinarian euthanized Sigoro last Tuesday after months of treatment failed to help the animal, officials said.

Sigoro was born Sept. 25, 1984, at the San Diego Zoo. He was brought to the Tulsa Zoo on Nov. 12, 1985. Until the birth of his last offspring, Sigoro was one of the top five most important tigers in the North American Species Survival Plan for many years,officials said.

The SSP is a strategy for the long-term survival of certain threatened animals. It preplans the family tree of many endangered species. Of the 432 Siberian tigers in captivity worldwide, 152 are managed by the SSP program in 58 North American zoos.

The Siberian tiger, also called the Amur tiger, Northeast China tiger and Manchurian tiger, is the largest of the five subspecies of tigers. The world's population of wild tigers is in decline because of poaching, habitat destruction and the fragmentation of their native habitats.

------

For more information about the Tulsa Zoo and the animals there, call (918) 669-6600 or visit its Web site at www.tulsazoo.org.