Rani, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zooâs Bengal tiger, dies 3 months after brother
Rani, a Bengal tiger that has called the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo home since she was a cub, has died, the facility announced Monday.
Rani, who was mostly blind, hard of hearing and had renal failure, was 19 — the equivalent of a 90- to 95-year-old human, the zoo said.
She died nearly three months after her brother, Rajah, died in February at 18.
Like Rani, Rajah came to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo as a cub.
“The staff caring for her describe her as sassy, full of attitude, and were honored to take care of her,” said Joel Hamilton, the zoo’s executive director, in a statement. “Her presence at the zoo not only brought joy to the staff and our guests but helped educate our guests of how important it is to take care of wildlife and preserve our planet.”
Rani enjoyed destroying boxes, sit in her water tub and tease Rajah, the zoo said.
“Sometimes she would even aggravate Rajah while he was sleeping and then act innocent when he woke up,” the facility’s stated. “She was a character, and her antics will be missed.”
The Bengal tiger is considered endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, according to the zoo.
The largest threats to the Bengal tiger are the loss of habitat and prey caused by human expansion, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.