One tiger kills another at Kunming Zoo

![]() |
Siberian tigers are seen at Kunming Zoo in Yunnan province on Monday. WANG YUHENG/FOR CHINA DAILY |
Maomao, a Siberian tiger, suffocated on Saturday as a Bengal tiger named Xiaohu held him by the throat at about 10:40 am. Keepers separated the animals shortly after being alerted to the fight.
Footage of the incident uploaded online on Sunday shows Maomao lying on grass in the tiger enclosure's nursery area. He does not react when tapped with a long pole.
The tigers were part of a mixed-breeding program and shared an enclosure with one female and another male, according to Yang Ge, head of the zoo's administration office. Maomao was 18 years old; Xiaohu is 14.
"Small bites often occur, but not too serious," he said. "However, this time, when one tiger attacked the other, something serious happened. In about one minute, one tiger was suffocated by another.
"We intervened. But it was too late," Yang said.
Yang said fights over food and mates are normal among tigers. It's possible that the two animals were fighting because it was mating season.
The two had fought before, but the altercations were minor and quickly resolved, Yang said. The zoo staff didn't expect such a serious consequence this time.
"We planned to make some housing area adjustments according to the tigers' ages during the mating season," Yang said. "We can also make some adjustments based on the tigers' sex."
He said no such incidents had occurred before at the zoo.
- Critical thinking emphasized amidst 'AI dependence'
- Xi congratulates president of Togo on assuming office
- China ready to strengthen military-to-military relations with Russia: spokesperson
- New gecko species discovered in South China
- Beijing police step up crackdown on economic crimes
- Xi's article on improving work conduct to be published by Qiushi Journal