Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Zoo Devastated After Beloved Tigress Is Killed By New Mate During Their First Meeting

Zoo Devastated After Beloved Tigress Is Killed By New Mate During Their First Meeting
Dinendra Haria/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

It's been a difficult time for the London Zoo.


The London Zoo announced on Friday that a new male Sumatran tiger, Asim, had killed the zoo's prized female Sumatran tiger, Melati.

Melati died "while being introduced to new male Asim for the first time," the zoo announced in a tweet. The two tigers were allowed to interact in the hope that they would eventually mate as part of a European breeding program. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists Sumatran tigers as "critically endangered."

Tiger introduction is "high risk," the zoo said, so what happened to Melati was a realistic possibility.

Many of Melati's fans turned to social media to mourn her death.




The London Zoo was also criticized by individuals who would like to see zoos abolished.



The introduction was carefully planned, as Kathryn England, chief operating officer of the London Zoo, noted in a blog post:

After careful observation, we all felt confident that the timing was right to introduce Asim to Melati. With more than 120 years of collective experience managing tigers between us, even with the benefit of hindsight I am confident we'd all make the same decision again based on the behaviour observed. Many of us at the zoo had seen them greeting, chuffing and sniffing each other, with no behaviour that caused concern. Several people from outside the zoo have remarked that 10 days seems fast to introduce tigers to each other. It's not – it's wildly variable and depends entirely on careful observation of their behaviour. Conversely, it can be risky to leave tigers showing an interest in each other out of contact for too long, leading to a build-up of tension and frustration.
In the lead-up to Friday, there was a lot to do. Careful plans had been meticulously drawn up, and risk assessments completed. Every detail had been discussed and examined at length amongst the team, who on the morning itself gathered at Tiger Territory to allow Melati, 10, and Asim, 7, to meet in the flesh for the first time.

Big cat introductions "always carry risk," she wrote:

The team were not empty-handed; big cat introductions tend to be highly charged and always carry risk. Fire extinguishers, airhorns, hoses and flares were at the ready to distract them if the encounter took a dangerous turn. We had tranquiliser darts on hand but there are actually few scenarios where this would be viable – even if you could be sure of hitting the right tiger, they take up to 30 minutes to take effect. This could be even longer in a high-energy situation when an animal's adrenaline is flowing. All of which means using one would have had no impact on the outcome.

The perimeter of the exhibit was carefully walked and checked for anything out of place that could alarm the tigers. The surroundings were quiet and calm. We opened the gate between the two enclosures and watched carefully. Initially everything about their meeting was as we expected. They watched each other, they were cautiously interested and they sniffed the air for several minutes.

At Tiger Territory we have created a space where our tigers can exhibit their natural behaviours. There are places to hide, places to be out of sight, places to be up high. Our tigers can behave like tigers, which are the conditions a good and responsible zoo is looking to create for all the species it holds.

However, this meeting did not go the way England and the other staff members if the London zoo hoped.

This is truly a tragedy for animal lovers worldwide.

More from Trending

Screenshots from Dove's ad featuring transgender women
Dove

'One Million Moms' Calls For Dove Boycott Over Hair Care Ad Featuring Trans Woman

The vehemently transphobic conservative group One Million Moms (OMM)—an arm of the Christian fundamentalist nonprofit American Family Association (AFA)—called for a boycott of Dove products after the company featured a transgender woman in an advertisement for their Damage Therapy Intensive Repair Conditioner.

The ad garnered attention after it was shared by the social media account Libs of TikTok—run by the anti-LGBTQ+ conservative Chaya Raichik—which described the ad as an example of "another woke company trying to erase women."

Keep ReadingShow less
Alyssa Milano; Julian McMahon
Michael Kovac/Elton John AIDS Foundation/Getty Images; Marcus Ingram/The Surfer/Getty Images

Alyssa Milano Shares Poignant Tribute To 'TV Husband' Julian McMahon After His Death At 56

Actor Julian McMahon lost his battle with cancer at the age of 56 earlier this week, and to say that the Charmed, Nip/Tuck, and Fantastic Four actor touched many lives would be an understatement.

When the news of McMahon's passing went public, his Charmed costar and "TV wife" Alyssa Milano came forward and expressed her sadness and condolences on Instagram. The pair were a favorite couple on Charmed, and it was clear from her post that their care for each other extended beyond the screen.

Keep ReadingShow less

People Who Slept With Their Best Friend Describe The Aftermath

When two people have a deep and meaningful friendship, the question might eventually come up of whether or not they could be more. Agreeing that their friendship might deserve more, they might try to date or at least explore physical intimacy.

But crossing that line carries with it consequences, and it's only once the pair crosses that line that they'll find out if crossing it was good or bad.

Keep ReadingShow less
child writing on chalkboard
Leonardo Toshiro Okubo on Unsplash

Bilingual People Explain Which Words They're Surprised Don't Exist In English

According to one report, approximately 3.3 billion people worldwide—43 % of the population—are multilingual, meaning they speak at least two languages. According to the last Census, 21.6% of people in the United States speak more than one language, while in the United Kingdom, the number is 36%.

More multilingual people speak English as a second language than English speakers who have learned another language besides English. Worldwide, people who learned English as a first language rate among the lowest in multilingual rates.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andrew Garfield at the 2025 Glastonbury Festival
Harry Durrant/Getty Images

Andrew Garfield meets fan with wild tweet!

American actor Andrew Garfield had a funny yet awkward reunion with a fan from a viral “Thirst Tweet” featured on Buzzfeed Celeb.

The Thirst Tweet compilation shows celebrities reading a collection of scandalous tweets from fans commenting on their looks, attractiveness, and sex appeal. Blushing stars include James McAvoy, Renee Rapp, Keanu Reeves, Anthony Mackie, and more recently, Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem, as they promote F1 the Movie that was released in theaters last week.

Keep ReadingShow less