Carolina Tiger Rescue announces death of female tiger

Shira, a tiger at Carolina Tiger Rescue, was euthanized due to health issues.

"Shira will always be remembered as a tiger with a lot of personality," wrote Carolina Tiger Rescue assistant director Kathryn Bertok on Facebook. "She enjoyed enrichment and toys, including her big boomer balls. If you needed her to follow you, you could count her following a ball along the fence! She knew how to enjoy a cool pool during the summer and a cozy den box during the winter."

According to Bertok, an ultrasound determined Shira's heart was not contracting properly. The rescue's veterinarian and animal care staff determined it would be most humane to euthanize her.

Bertok said Shira's "roommate," Saber, appears to be handling the loss well.

"Saber seems to be doing fine," she wrote. "In the wild, tigers are solitary so it's not unusual for a tiger to be comfortable alone."

The care team at Carolina Tiger Rescue had been monitoring and treating Shira for gastrointestinal issues for weeks, growing closer to her.

"Particularly when we have been dealing with a decline in the health of an animal, the staff and volunteers spend extra time working with the sick animal and talk daily about how they are doing, what they are eating, and what we can do to help them feel better. It’s a weekly check-in on how we feel about their quality of life. It’s going back to food prep to see if there is something else they may want to eat. After spending so much extra time with them, it’s incredibly hard to say goodbye," Bertok wrote.