Minnesota Zoo Mourns Loss of Beloved Amur Tiger, Dari 

We are saddened to share that Sundari, or “Dari,” the Minnesota Zoo’s 13-year-old female Amur tiger, was humanely euthanized on July 12, 2025, due to mesothelioma, an aggressive and uncurable form of cancer known to occur in several wild felid species including tigers. We are grateful for the tireless and compassionate efforts of our animal care and veterinary teams, and their work to ensure Dari passed peacefully under expert care. 

Her death is a profound loss to the Minnesota Zoo community and tiger conservation efforts around the world. Born at the Minnesota Zoo on June 17, 2012, Dari was a beloved ambassador and a key contributor to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan. 

Dari successfully gave birth to six cubs—Vera, Brosno, Vostok, Yana, and most recently, Amaliya and Andrei, born on May 23, 2024. The arrival of Amaliya and Andrei shined a global spotlight on the Minnesota Zoo and served as a reminder of the critical role the Minnesota Zoo plays in tiger conservation. Dari was a remarkable mother, and a symbol of what we are working to protect. 

Minnesota Zoo’s History of Amur Tiger Conservation  

The Minnesota Zoo has a long-standing commitment to tiger conservation. Over the course of the Minnesota Zoo’s 46-year history, 46 cubs have been born at the Zoo and thrived beyond the key milestone of 30-days. Of these 46 individuals, 21 have gone on to produce litters of their own, resulting in another 86 cubs to bolster the global population of Amur tigers. 

Amur tigers are considered endangered, hovering near the brink of extinction in the 1930s and 1940s. Conservation efforts in the wild and throughout accredited zoos have helped increase populations in the decades since. It’s believed that about 500 or fewer Amur tigers remain in the wild. 

 The Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP) is a coordinated breeding and management program that works at a global scale to preserve genetic diversity and safeguard the future of tigers in human care. The plan manages three subspecies—Sumatran, Malayan, and Amur tigers—with participation from institutions in the U.S. and internationally. 

Dari’s Impact Locally, and Around the Globe

Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Minnesota Zoo plays a vital role in several Species Survival Plans® (SSPs)—including tigers, and Japanese and lion-tailed macaques. Each SSP serves as a “genetic insurance policy” against extinction, with expert coordinators guiding breeding decisions and animal transfers to support species-wide conservation goals. Many SSPs also advance education, research, and habitat protection.

By closely observing Dari’s maternal care and behaviors, our zookeepers have shared best practices with other zoos. “Through her life, Dari gave the SSP program what it needed most—consistency, maternal excellence, and critical genetic contribution. She nurtured her cubs with extraordinary love and helped guide a new generation of care for tiger mothers,” said Trista Fischer, Minnesota Zoo zoologist and coordinator of the Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP).

Fischer went on to say that Dari’s impact reaches far beyond our Zoo grounds. Dari leaves behind a legacy in tiger conservation and in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.  

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