Hani, the two-year-old Siberian tiger died of massive heart failure.
“The preliminary results of the necropsy indicated an accumulation of fluid and fibrin in the chest. This pathological finding is most often caused by an infection, said Dr. Bruce Burton, the Zoo’s veterinarian.
"However, upon closer inspection, this turned out not to be the case with Hani. She died as a result of significant left-sided heart failure caused by an unclassified form of Cardio-myopathy, a chronic and poorly understood genetic disease of the heart muscle."
Burton said many domestic cats and some breeds of dogs suffer from similar forms of Cardiomyopathy and it is almost always associated with sudden death.
"Sadly, there are no warning signs with this disease and no successful treatment protocols," he said.
Hani's sister Hana still remains at the zoo.
Earlier this year, the zoo's oldest Siberian tiger died. Sweetie was 18-years-old and was born at the zoo.
A written statement issued by the zoo said Sweetie, the Siberian tiger, had to be put down on Tuesday "as a result of continued concern regarding her loss of appetite, respiratory distress and being lethargic."
Sweetie had been in poor health for the last month and a half, the zoo said. The 18-year-old Sweetie was born at the Greater Vancouver Zoo.
