PORTLAND, Ore. (March 24, 2014) — A tiger born in Grand Rapids died Monday at the Oregon Zoo, according to a release.
Nicole, a 15-year-old Amur tiger, died at around noon after experiencing what zoo officials believe to be a seizure. The zoo said it cleared visitors from its Tiger Plaza area during the incident.
Nicole and her brother Mikhail were born on Halloween 1998 at the John Ball Zoo. They moved to Oregon Sept. 12, 2000, according to a release.
“Wild Amur tigers are among the most endangered big cats on the planet: Fewer than 500 are believed to remain in their home range,” the Oregon Zoo’s statement says. “The Amur tiger species derives its name from the Amur River, which runs through the region of southeast Russia to which this subspecies is native.”
