Mia, an Oakland Zoo tiger rescued from a roadside attraction in Oklahoma four years ago, was euthanized this week following a cancer diagnosis, zoo officials announced.
The roughly 14-year-old tiger had been showing signs of illness, including a loss of appetite, and was subsequently found to have cancer that had spread throughout her body, zoo officials said in a social media post Wednesday.
Because of the cancer’s advanced stage, treatments would have been “extensive and invasive, which led the team to make the difficult decision to euthanize her,” according to the post.
Mia and another tiger named Lola came to Oakland in 2022 after being rescued from a roadside zoo that was shut down for multiple animal safety and welfare violations.
That zoo and its owner were reported to have ties to “Joe Exotic” from the well-known Netflix series “Tiger King,” Oakland Zoo officials said at the time.
“In 2022, we had the opportunity to rescue Mia and Lola from a roadside zoo, where they lived in tiny cages under severely substandard conditions,” zoo officials said Wednesday. “We were honored to provide them with a better life, offering the highest standards of animal welfare and veterinary care.”
Mia was Oakland Zoo’s last tiger after Lola died in January at the age of about 15.
Lola was euthanized due to an aggressive infection, which was likely caused by a “foreign body” lodged in her paw that spread to the rest of her body, according to zoo officials.
The median life expectancy for tigers is about 14 years to 16 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
“Because of Mia, we grew — she sharpened our skills, deepened our compassion, and reminded us why this work matters,” her care team said in the social media post Wednesday. “Mia was the absolute best and smartest cat we have ever known: a perfect mix of playful and serious, living life to the fullest.”
For decades, the Oakland Zoo has dedicated its tiger enclosure and facilities to helping rescue cats that have been exploited and abused by the circus, roadside zoos, private ownership and the cub-petting industry.
Zoo officials said they are still committed to preserving their now-empty tiger habitat for animals that need care in the future.
Mia was the third animal in three months to die at the zoo. After Lola died in January, Tsavo, an ailing male giraffe, was euthanized in February after being treated for various neurological symptoms.
Zoo officials said at the time that it didn’t appear as if the 9-year-old giraffe’s health problems were the result of his zoo environment, and all the other giraffes, which can live up to about 30 years in captivity, are still healthy.
Tsavo came to Oakland from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in 2021 and was a beloved addition to the small herd, which now has four members.