Columbus Zoo says tiger dies of COVID complications

Credit: Grahm S. Jones

Credit: Grahm S. Jones

A 14-year-old tiger died Sunday of complications from COVID-19, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium announced Wednesday on social media.

The Amur tiger — also known as the Siberian tiger — named Jupiter developed pneumonia caused by the coronavirus.

“Jupiter had been on long-term treatment for chronic underlying illnesses, which made him more susceptible to this virus,” the zoo posted Wednesday afternoon on Facebook.

Jupiter is the first animal at the Columbus Zoo to succumb to COVID-19, the zoo said.

Jupiter was born July 9, 2007, at the Moscow Zoo and arrived March 19, 2015, at the Columbus Zoo after spending time at the Zoo Dvur Kralove in the Czech Republic. He sired nine cubs, six of which were born at the Columbus Zoo.

The Amur tiger is one of the largest cats in the world found in the wild in the Russian Far East and northeast China.

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