Darla, a 22-year-old Amur leopard, died at the Tallinn Zoo
Darla, an Amur leopard, died at the Tallinn Zoo at the age of 22. Zoo officials reported that the animal, which had lived there for most of her life, died this morning.
According to ERR News, Darla had chronic kidney failure and had lost a significant amount of weight recently. She had become less active in her enclosure, often lying on a high platform in the shade or in the sun and observing her surroundings. At the same time, the leopard’s teeth remained in good condition, and even in her old age, she retained her agility: she caught and ate two crows in a row.
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Darla was born on April 17, 2004, at the Berlin Zoo and arrived in Tallinn in late November 2005. Between 2008 and 2014, she raised five litters, with a total of 12 cubs. Her mate, Freddie, who was born at the Tallinn Zoo, died in 2016 at the age of 21.
The Amur leopard, or Panthera pardus orientalis, is a subspecies that is critically endangered. Darlie and Freddie’s offspring, living in zoos around the world, number more than 60—roughly the same number of Amur leopards estimated to remain in the wild. In the wild, these leopards typically live 10 to 15 years. The subspecies is found in parts of southeastern Russia and northern China and is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
