▲ Siblings Hobum and Hosun
Hosun, a 20-year-old Siberian tiger born and raised at Cheongju Zoo, has been euthanized.
Cheongju Zoo announced today, July 9, that the female tiger, Hosun, was euthanized around 8:00 p.m. on July 3.
A zoo official stated, "We observed gait abnormalities last Friday, July 3, and suspected a disc-related condition. Although we prepared for surgery and administered anesthesia, we determined that the chances of recovery were low and proceeded with euthanasia."
Born at Cheongju Zoo on July 3, 2006, Hosun had been beloved by visitors alongside her brother, Hobum, and sister, Iho.
Following the death of her brother Hobum due to old age in April 2023, her sister Iho also passed away this past January.
With the passing of Hosun, there are no longer any Siberian tigers remaining at Cheongju Zoo.
The zoo currently has no plans to bring in new tigers.
However, the zoo stated that it may consider relocating a tiger if it is currently living in poor conditions.
Siberian tigers, also known as Amur tigers or Korean tigers, are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and are under international protection due to a sharp decline in their population caused by habitat destruction and poaching.
The global population is estimated at 560 to 600, with 90% of them inhabiting the Primorsky and Khabarovsk regions of Russia.
Cheongju Zoo was designated as an ex-situ conservation institution for wildlife in 2014 and has been conducting conservation projects for endangered species.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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