COLUMBIA, S.C. — One of the Amur (Siberian) Tigers at Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens has passed away.
'Vitali' was at the zoo for nine years and the zoo said in a post on Facebook that he was a great ambassador for his species.
Officials say he was having mobility issues and was put to sleep on Monday December 13.
One of the animal care supervisors recalls “Vitali's favorite enrichment included small, squishy items that could easily be pounced and poked. Vitali also had a big appetite--loving quail and rabbit. He also enjoyed a good, long cat nap, especially on a giant fluffy bed. He had a grumpy, but sweet presence often greeting Koshka, the female tiger, with low grumbles and sweet loving eyes."
He was born in the Calgary zoo and came from Toronto in 2012. He was 14.5 years old.
Zoo officials will discuss if another tiger will call Riverbanks home.
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Amur or Siberian are the largest living cats, according to the zoo's website.
The are listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service due to poaching and habitat destruction.
Riverbank's website goes on to explain that their are an estimated 450 Amur tigers in the wild and 150 in zoos in the United States.
The zoo has maintained and bred tigers since the zoo opened in 1974.