Final roar: Beloved white tiger ‘Sun’ bows out after cancer battle
A 16 year old white tiger passed away peacefully in its sleep on Sunday night, March 23. The beloved tiger, Sun, who had captured the hearts of many, succumbed to a long battle with gastrointestinal and lung cancer.
Sun’s death has left a void at Bueng Chawak Wildlife Sanctuary, where it was cared for by a dedicated team.
A team of expert veterinarians, led by Dr Natthanon Panphet, head of the Bueng Chawak Wildlife Sanctuary and the Bueng Chawak Wildlife Management Development Centre, performed an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Assisted by veterinary students from Chulalongkorn University, the team spent several hours conducting the procedure.
The autopsy revealed severe abnormalities across several of the Sun’s organ systems. Most notably, the big cat’s respiratory system showed signs of distress, with small black nodules scattered throughout its lungs, some of which had died.
In addition to the lung issues, Sun’s digestive system also showed significant damage, including numerous pustules and abnormal nodules in its liver.
The spleen was also found to have abnormal lumps, while the tiger’s stomach and intestines were full of both faeces and large amounts of hair, which had caused digestive blockages.
The veterinary team diagnosed that Sun’s death was most likely caused by a combination of gastrointestinal cancer and lung cancer, which, coupled with his old age, led to complications in his digestive and respiratory systems.
The team noted that the difficulty in defecating may have worsened its condition.
Despite these findings, the team took extensive samples of Sun’s internal organs for further examination at the National Institute of Animal Health and Chulalongkorn University.
Additionally, tissue samples were collected to preserve Sun’s genetic code, in line with regulations for tigers in captivity, to be sent to the Wildlife Forensic Science Centre, reported Channel 7 News.
After the examination, Sun’s remains were respectfully cremated according to academic principles.
While his passing is a sad loss, the legacy of this majestic tiger will live on through the research conducted in his honour.
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