Tiger at Zoo Atlanta dies at age 20 from chronic health conditions

ATLANTA — A tiger at Zoo Atlanta has passed away from chronic health conditions, the zoo announced on Wednesday.

Chelsea, a 20-year-old female Sumatran tiger was euthanized on Wednesday after zoo officials said “there was not a path to recovery” for her.

“This is a devastating loss for Chelsea’s care team and for Zoo Atlanta. Chelsea was a magnificent cat with a tremendous legacy here at the Zoo,” said Sam Rivera, DVM, Vice President of Animal Health. “While decisions like these are always heartbreaking and are never easy, our teams had reached a point where we knew that this was the most responsible and compassionate decision for Chelsea.”

At nearly 21 years old, Chelsea exceeded the typical lifespan for her species, according to the zoo.

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Chelsea had lived in Zoo Atlanta’s tiger habitat since 2006, according to zoo officials.

In 2011, she gave birth to cubs, Sohni and Sanjiv, who both live at other zoos and have since had their own children.

The zoo is also home to another young Sumatran tiger named Bob, who arrived last November.

The Sumatran tiger is one of the world’s rarest tiger species, according to the zoo. The species is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

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