Sherkan, the white tiger of Beauval zoo is dead

A white tiger at Beauval Zoo, in September 2019. -

Visitors will no longer see its white coat.

The emblematic tiger of the ZooParc de Beauval, Sherkan, was euthanized on Wednesday at the age of 18, while he "had suffered from severe osteoarthritis for several years", announced Friday the animal park of Saint-Aignan (Loir-et-Cher ).

“In recent weeks, his activity had greatly reduced despite the daily treatments: he moved a lot less and he no longer reacted to the enrichments offered by the healers.

(…) It was decided to stop his suffering and euthanize him, ”the zoo explained on its website.

The park evoked "a decision taken with sorrow but (...) necessary".

"An essential animal"

Born on June 3, 2002 at the Touroparc de Romanèche-Thorins (Saône-et-Loire), the feline joined Beauval in 2005, where “his physique and his presence” had made him “an essential animal”, according to the zoo.

Sherkan, on treatment since 2015, "suffered from osteoarthritis," particularly in the hips and spine, Beauval said.

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