Zoo keepers noted her loss of appetite and disinterest in Saturday afternoon's enrichment. They kept a close eye on her throughout the day, and at 3:00 PM contacted the veterinary staff when they noticed she had difficulty getting out of the small pond in her exhibit.

Every attempt was made to assess her and provide Luna with proper care. The keeping staff stayed with her throughout the night, but by early Sunday morning her health took a turn for the worse and she stopped breathing. At this time, it is unclear what caused the rapid decline in health that led to her death. Results of the necropsy are pending, which will hopefully provide answers as to what happened. The Zoo's other Amur tiger, Prince, will be temporarily off exhibit pending assessment of all plants in the exhibit as well as a review of the exhibit enclosure to make sure no foreign objects were thrown into the exhibit. This will rule out any environmental factors that may have contributed to her death.

"As we try to come to grips with this tragic loss, we will always remember how unique Luna was," said ZooMontana Curator Travis Goebel. "In recent years she really came out of her shell and displayed some exciting behaviors both for our staff and visitors alike. I personally will deeply miss the way Luna would greet me in the morning with an affectionate chuff or a snarly roar! The countless hours of work with Luna were both the most challenging of my zoo career and the most rewarding. She will be great missed by all who were fortunate enough to know her."

"This is an extremely difficult time for the entire staff here at the Zoo," said Director Jackie Worstell. "Luna touched everyone she came in contact with and will be deeply missed."

Amur tigers are the largest cats in the world and the biggest subspecies of tigers. Their native home is a harsh environment with extremely cold temperatures and deep snow. Their bodies are well adapted to these conditions. Amur tigers are currently listed as endangered; ZooMontana's participates in the Species Survival Program (SSP), which is a captive breeding program, to ensure the survival of the species. The Amur tiger SSP was the very first created by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is one of the most successful.

Further information will be released once ZooMontana receives results from the necropsy.