In May of this year, a three-month-old tiger cub was taken from Mariupol Zoo and transported to a circus in Moscow, Mariupol City Council reports. The young tiger, known as “Mariupolske tyhrenia,” was placed under the care of Russian animal trainer Edgard Zapashny, known for his support of the war against Ukraine.
Recent information has come to light that the animal has passed away. Zapashny himself confirmed the tiger’s death, stating that it had congenital kidney problems.
However, the reason why the cub was not returned to the zoo and instead taken to the circus remains unclear.