Snow Leopard Euthanized

The Tautphaus Park Zoo has announced the death of a snow leopard.

Panja, a 7-year-old male, was euthanized as complications from his fibrosarcoma became too difficult to manage, the zoo said this week.

The zoo veterinary staff discovered the aggressive tumor in December when Panja was taken to Sun Valley for a hip replacement surgery.

Panja came to the zoo in April 2009 as part of a Species Survival Plan pairing with the zoo?s female snow leopard, Sundarii. The leopards produced a cub in 2010, which is now in the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.

?We knew (Panja) was on borrowed time when he came back from his original surgery.? said Beth Rich, zoo superintendent. ?We managed his pain and comfort as best we could for as long as we could. It became apparent that pain medication was not effective, and we did not want him to suffer. He was a very special cat to all of us, and he will be greatly missed.?