Female tiger killed by male during zoo introduction

A "much-loved" female tiger has been killed during an introduction to a male.

Marwell Zoo announced its eight-year-old Amur tiger, Valentina, sustained fatal injuries when meeting male tiger, Pasha, for the first time before the zoo opened this morning.

Valentina had been at the zoo for five years, having arrived from Hodonin Zoo in Croatia in 2020.

Pasha first arrived at the zoo in February and staff said they had "noticed encouraging behaviours with no signs of aggression" between the pair.

In a statement released on social media, the zoo said Valentina was a "much-loved and charismatic character of the zoo family, who captured the hearts of our teams and guests alike".

It said introducing big cats "always carries significant risk" and staff had been observing both tigers since Pasha's arrival.

"Our expert teams were monitoring the situation closely, were well-prepared, and acted swiftly to draw Pasha away," the statement explained.

"Due to the speed and nature of the incident, it was not possible for our highly-experienced team to intervene and Valentina had already been fatally injured."

The zoo has confirmed Pasha was not severely injured during the altercation.

Valentina had been paired with Marwell's previous male tiger, Bagai, shortly after her arrival.

The statement added: "She will be deeply missed by her keepers, who formed a strong bond with her, our veterinary team, wider Marwell teams and our guests."

Valentina was eight years old and had been at the zoo since 2020

CEO of the zoo, Laura Read, said they had "all the right signs" Valentina and Pasha were going to mix well.

"Even after the introduction, initial signs were encouraging," she explained.

"I am incredibly proud of our team and the way they responded to the incident and aftermath of it. Many of them are of course feeling shock, grief and sadness.

"We would ask the public to be kind and compassionate in their response to this sad turn of events."

Ms Read confirmed the zoo would remain part of the EAZA Ex-situ Programme (EEP) for Amur tigers and "focus on giving Pasha close care and attention as he adjusts to what has happened".