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Denver Zoo euthanizes Russian Amur tiger stricken with leukemia

Test results showed that he had an extremely aggressive form of leukemia

NEW YORK, October 30. /TASS/. An Amur tiger brought to the US city of Denver from Russia has been euthanized over cancer, the Denver Zoo said in a statement provided to TASS by Public Relations Manager Sean Andersen-Vie.

"Denver Zoo is very saddened to announce the death of ‘Martin,’ a 3-year-old male Amur (ah-MOOR) tiger," the statement reads. According to the zoo, "Martin began demonstrating signs of decreased activity and lack of appetite on October 22… animal care and veterinary staff completed an exam on the tiger, who showed severe anemia, and conducted a blood transfusion from one of the Zoo’s other male tigers, Nikolai." "Martin’s test results showed that he had an extremely aggressive form of leukemia, with cancer cells evident in his blood, bone marrow and spleen. With consultation from Colorado State University’s Veterinary Oncology Department, it was determined that the cancer was terminal. Having lost his quality of life, Martin was humanely euthanized," the statement says adding that before euthanizing the tiger, "reproductive material was collected for the potential to pass on his valuable genetics."

The zoo also said that "Martin was born at Moscow Zoo in June 2014 and arrived to Denver Zoo from Russia on July 1 of this year. Guests had not yet had the opportunity to meet Martin, as he was acclimating to his new home."

Amur tigers are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. According to the current estimates, 480 to 540 Amur tigers are left in the wild, with 90% of them living in Russia’s Far Eastern Primorye and Khabarovsk regions.