Born Free is saddened to learn that a tiger has been killed at Longleat Safari Park, just six days after the death of tigress Malati at London Zoo.

Born Free’s Head of Animal Welfare & Captivity, Dr Chris Draper, said: “Tigers are highly territorial and the sudden appearance of another tiger in the enclosure would inevitably lead to aggression. Sadly, Shouri died as a result. The question is how she was able to gain access to another enclosure in the first place.

“We now have two incidents within a week where introductions of tigers – one deliberate, one accidental – have resulted in death. Both tragic incidents demonstrate just how unnatural captivity is for these wild animals. They are denied the opportunity to choose their mates, have no control over their environment, and are unable to escape conflict.”

Tigers face many threats across their range in the wild, particularly from habitat loss and poaching, but Born Free is convinced that the key to their continued existence rests on finding solutions in their natural habitat, instead of in captivity.     

Born Free is committed to genuine tiger conservation. For example, through our Living with Tigers programme we are working to safeguard the future of 500 wild tigers across the Satpuda landscape of central India.          

Adopt a tiger today and help us prevent horrific incidents like this.