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Tiger at Minnesota Zoo Dies of Mesothelioma

Incident Date:
06/15/2025
Location:
Apple Valley, MN - USA
Facility Name:
Minnesota Zoo
Facility Type:
Accredited AZA Facility (AZA)
Incident Category:
Animal Death (AD)
Species:
Big Cats
Animal:
Tiger
Animal disposition:
Dead

Summary:

APPLE VALLEY, MN – The Minnesota Zoo has announced that one of their tigers has died of mesothelioma.

Sundari, also called “Dari”, was the zoo’s 13-year-old female Amur tiger. She was “humanely euthanized” earlier this month (June 2025) due to fast-spreading mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. Anyone who develops mesothelioma has been exposed to this substance – usually many years before tumors first form. Asbestos is a mineral made of microscopic fibers. When the fibers break apart, they can be inhaled or swallowed. If an animal inhales these fibers, they can get trapped in the mesothelial linings and cause cells to mutate.

The number of animals that develop mesothelioma is unknown. There are only a few reported cases, usually in pet dogs. In 2021, a dog in Japan developed mesothelioma and was treated with surgery when the cancer was still localized (early stages). The Minnesota Zoo said mesothelioma can develop in wild felid species such as tigers.

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