The Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute (KoAGI) under the Korea Forest Service said on the 6th that Baekdusan tiger "Han-cheong" at the Baekdu-daegan National Arboretum has died.
Baekdusan tiger "Han-cheong" was born on May 8, 2005, at Seoul Grand Park and was transferred to the Baekdu-daegan National Arboretum on June 29, 2017. She was a female tiger who lived in Tiger Forest for eight years and was the oldest tiger in Korea.
Han-cheong had shown aging symptoms such as trembling in both front paws for several years, and since May this year, activity and appetite have noticeably decreased.
Lee Gyu-myeong, director of the Baekdu-daegan National Arboretum, said, "Breathing became somewhat unstable from the 4th, and life ended at 12:22 a.m. on the 6th," and added, "We plan to conduct an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and will proceed in accordance with relevant laws."
He added, "The five Baekdusan tigers managed in Tiger Forest—Uri, Mugung, Taebeom, Han, and Do—are currently confirmed to be healthy."
Han-cheong did not leave offspring separately, but with a gentle personality and stable behavioral traits, she often appeared in promotional videos and visitor education since the early days of the Baekdu-daegan National Arboretum's opening and has been loved nationwide.
Starting on the 7th, the Baekdu-daegan National Arboretum plans to set up a memorial space for Han-cheong in Tiger Forest so visitors can leave memorial messages themselves.
The director said, "Han-cheong was a symbolic presence that showed how our society has managed and respected endangered wild animals," and added, "The data Han-cheong left will be a valuable asset for developing management standards for elderly individuals and conservation education content."