Pittsburgh zoo’s oldest male tiger dies

PITTSBURGH – Officials say the oldest male tiger has died at the Pittsburgh Zoo a day after a baby elephant born prematurely was euthanized.

The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium says 18-year-old Taiga died Thursday of complications from a diaphragmatic hernia. The zoo says Taiga had been immobilized for a routine procedure earlier in the day and suddenly died that afternoon.

The zoo says a necropsy found the hernia within the stomach and intestines in the chest cavity that “had been there for some time” and impeded the animal’s breathing. The zoo says X-rays taken eight months ago showed no abnormalities.

Officials say a 3-month-old female African elephant born prematurely in May was euthanized Wednesday after failing to gain enough weight despite responding favourably to a feeding tube.