SALT LAKE CITY — An Amur tiger at Utah’s Hogle Zoo died on Friday. The zoo said the 15-year-old tiger faced urinary and bladder issues in recent months.

“During a veterinary exam in late October, zoo teams observed Nik had an enlarged bladder and began developing a treatment plan,” the zoo said. “Despite advanced care, Nik’s condition continued to decline. After a sudden decline on Nov. 14, Nik passed away.”

The zoo said Nikolai, also called Nik, was an Amur tiger known to many as a Siberian tiger. He was brought to the zoo in 2018 and was known to rest near a viewing window where visitors could easily see him.

Nikolai was later paired with another tiger at the zoo named Sasha who came to the zoo in November 2021 .

“The pair was introduced for their first breeding season in spring

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