Lucy, a Sumatran tiger at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, died at age 12.Lucy, a Sumatran tiger at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, died at age 12.
Lucy, a Sumatran tiger at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, died at age 12. | Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Rare Sumatran tiger dies at Jacksonville zoo

Published on August 25, 2023 at 3:12 pm

A rare Sumatran tiger has died at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.

Lucy, who was 12 years old, was one of the first tigers to reside in the zoo’s Land of the Tiger habitat after it opened in 2014.

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In a statement, the zoo called Lucy a cherished member of their family.

Zoo officials said Lucy had a complicated health history with many rounds of illness. An exam revealed signs of a bloodborne infection as the likely cause of death.

The smallest of the tiger subspecies, Sumatran tigers are native to the isolated Indonesian island of the same name and listed as critically endangered due to numerous threats, including habitat loss.

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author image Reporter, WJCT News 89.9 email Dan Scanlan is a veteran journalist with almost 40 years of experience in radio, television, and print reporting. He has worked at various stations in the Northeast and Jacksonville. Prior to joining the WJCT News team, Dan spent 34 years at The Florida Times-Union as a police and current affairs reporter.

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