HOUSTON — The downtown Houston aquarium is mourning the loss of one of its white tigers.
The Downtown Aquarium announced that it had to make a tough decision after the quality of life for Reef, a 20-year-old white tiger, started to decline.
"Reef’s well-being was our top priority, but we had to make a tough decision after Reef’s quality of life began to decline due to his advanced age," Director of Animal Operations Jim Prappas said.
Prappas described Reef as playful and loved by guests.
"Reef was a beloved member of the Aquarium family and an essential part of the Tiger exhibit who loved interacting with guests and playfully exploring the habitat," Prappas said.
The tiger's body will be donated for research.
"Reef’s specimen has been donated to science to and in an effort to reinforce our commitment to supporting scientific advancement and education research programs," Prappas said.
The aquarium didn't say if Reef would be replaced. Over the years, Landry's, which owns the Downtown Aquarium, has been criticized for housing tigers.
According to Prappas, Reed lived about twice as long as the average life expectancy in the wild.