Denver Zoo's Amur tiger Yuri passes after declining health

🧵It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our 12-year-old Amur tiger, Yuri. In October, Yuri's health declined significantly, and a recent exam revealed he was experiencing anemia, dehydration, and systemic inflammation. pic.twitter.com/ZV7UO13zZB

— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo) November 22, 2022

Given this decline in addition to his chronically managed health conditions, Yuri's care team was concerned about his prognosis and quality of life and made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him and prevent any further suffering.

— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo) November 22, 2022

This loss, like any, has been hard on our entire staff—and particularly those who cared for him over the years. We'd like to share with you what they loved most about Yuri in their own words.https://t.co/Xv6JaI8SiW

— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo) November 22, 2022

“Yuri was one of the most magnificent animals I ever worked with. His paws were like dinner plates, and his teeth were 4” daggers, but his sweet chuff was enough to melt your heart." pic.twitter.com/YPe2JhQNIX

— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo) November 22, 2022

"He loved his rocker and scent enrichment. Even if we hid food inside his rocker, he’d immediately dump it so that he could carry it around. He was a giant goofball that taught me how important it was to earn an animal’s trust." pic.twitter.com/8RC0U3lZJ9

— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo) November 22, 2022

"Yuri was a giant goofy cat. He loved to rest in the sun whenever it was out. He was known for having his tongue sticking out at any given moment, especially when he was sleeping. He would always walk with keepers along his habitat barrier, chuffing the whole way." pic.twitter.com/KUlZrWAdls

— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo) November 22, 2022

"Yuri was a goofy boy. He loved flopping over on top of his small pine trees, and carrying his favorite toys around. Above all, I have personally seen him overcome obstacle after obstacle. He was incredibly resilient, and had an impressive capacity to learn." pic.twitter.com/L9giH0flJP

— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo) November 22, 2022