Zoo New England mourns death of snow leopard

STONEHAM, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) – Tang, the female snow leopard at Zoo New England's Stone Zoo, died on February 28.

The 19-year-old snow leopard was being treated for chronic kidney disease and age-degenerative issues with her spine before she died. Just before her death last month, spinal issues began affecting her hind legs, officials say, and she stopped responding to medicine. Zoo staff made the tough decision to humanely euthanize her.

"The veterinary and animal care staff takes extraordinary care of the geriatric animals as they do with all of the animals in our collection," Zoo New England Director of Veterinary Services Dr. Eric Baitchman said in a release. "With our older animals, we do everything we can to ensure they enjoy a comfortable life as they continue to age, which is often far longer than the median life expectancy. Tang will be greatly missed by the staff and the many visitors who came to see her throughout the years."

Snow leopards have a life expectancy of 14 years, Tang lived five years past that. She was moved to the zoo in 1996 and was seen in the Children's Zoo before relocating to her new home in the Himalayan Highlands area of the zoo in 1998.

Cox Media Group