Haere rā Molek: Auckland Zoo's 18-year-old tiger put down

Friday, 16 November 2018

Tigers at Auckland Zoo enjoy a number of activities to keep their lives interesting (video first published in 2016).

Staff at Auckland Zoo have said goodbye to one of their much-loved residents, Molek the Sumatran tiger.

At the grand old age of 18 – the upper limit for life expectancy for a tiger in captivity – Molek had been showing signs of ageing, the zoo said in a statement.

Over the past few days, staff at the zoo said Molek had sudden changes in her disposition, movement and appetite, which indicated something serious was happening.

After initial treatment did not improve Molek's condition, she was anesthesized to perform a full close examination, senior vet An Pas said.

**READ MORE:

* Zoo's Sumatran tiger Jaka put down

Molek was a Sumatran tiger. There are fewer than 400 left in the wild.

* Auckland Zoo buries animals at undisclosed location

* GoPro - used as tiger's chew toy - sold in auction

* International Tiger Day celebrated at Zoo**

*** It was a good day at work - until a tiger ate the GoPro

* Boy saving tigers one piece of artwork at a time

Molek and son Berani enjoying an icy treat on International Tiger Day.

* Now there are three tiger cubs**

'Taking into consideration the results from this procedure, which showed declining age-related health issues, along with the rapid deterioration of her general demeanour, putting her to sleep was absolutely the right and kindest decision to make.'

Molek playing with her blanket bundle - with the Stuff GoPro attached - moments shortly before the GoPro went to pieces.

Molek was euthanised on Thursday.

Lauren Booth, Auckland Zoo's carnivore team leader, had been caring for Molek since 2006.

She said it was with some disbelief the team said goodbye to its 'beautiful tigress'.

'She has left us with some exceptional memories from over the years which we will all cherish. One of my favourites is of the day we first found out she had given birth to three healthy cubs.'

One of Molek's cubs, Berani, still lives at Auckland Zoo.

As Sumatran tigers are naturally solitary animals, the hope was that Berani would, over time, adapt to his new situation, the zoo said.

Over her 18 years of life, Molek had spent time living in both Wellington and Hamilton before settling in Auckland in 2006.

Molek was also well-known in Stuff's Auckland office after she decided one of its GoPros would make the perfect tiger chew toy. The curious tiger ripped apart the camera's protective casing and turned the $700 device into shrapnel.

The mangled camera ended up being sold in a charity auction for a whopping $455.

Over the coming days the vet team would be performing a post mortem to gain a full picture of what caused Molek's rapid decline, the zoo said.