Cheryl Tuller

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Svengali.

Sven arrived in July of 2023. He was one of the last tigers to be housed at Siegfried & Roy’s facility at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.

From the moment he arrived, Sven’s vibrant personality filled the sanctuary. He was the most outspoken and interactive of the Vegas tigers. He wasted no time in letting his keepers know what he would tolerate (full pools, early breakfasts, and snacks) and what he would not tolerate (late breakfasts, ball toys, and snack-less keepers interrupting his naps).

Sven transitioned well from a life in the public eye to the quiet peace of the sanctuary. Here, he soaked in his pool and stretched out beneath the sun, finding moments of contentment that we cherished alongside him.

Yet, behind his boldness, there were shadows. Though Sven was a classic orange tiger, his lineage was from the white tiger bloodline — marked by the burden of genetic inbreeding. His intake exam revealed severe intervertebral disc degeneration and osteoarthritis in his spine. Pain medication and anti-inflammatories became part of his daily life, though you’d never know it from the way he still greeted us with that unmistakable Sven attitude.

Sven continued to do well until one morning his keepers noted hind end weakness. Over the next 36 hours the weakness progressed and imaging revealed the devastating truth: his disc degeneration had advanced to the point where walking would soon become impossible.

With great sadness, we made the decision no one ever wants to face. Sven, who had commanded so much attention, left this world with the grace and dignity that he deserved. At the end he was surrounded by the WCR keepers that fell in love with him.

You’re finally free, Sven. The sanctuary is a quieter place without you.

Svengali’s History:
In the fall of 2022, the Compound Manager at S&R Productions got news that the Secret Garden in Las Vegas was closing. The Mirage had been sold and all animals had to be re-homed. This was unexpected and heartbreaking for the keepers who had cared for the cats their entire lives.

After an extensive search and recommendations from the Compound Manager, the Sarmoti Foundation selected WildCat Ridge Sanctuary to provide lifetime care for six tigers: Svengali, Cosmo, Indira, Rajiv, Hirah and Maharani. We were thrilled and humbled for the opportunity and have worked closely with the original keepers to make the tigers’ adjustment as easy as possible.

Svengali, brother to Cosmo, is very confident and was the quickest to settle in at the Sanctuary. Brave and bold he has been playing with toys, cooling off in his pool, and napping under the tree. It’s so much fun to watch him play!

The tigers have been very well taken care of before arriving at the sanctuary and we count their former keepers as part of the WCR family!

Every loss is difficult and heartbreaking, even more so when unexpected. We are heartbroken to share that we have lost Indira. She and Svengali were the parents of Hirah and Maharani. With the arrival of the six Mirage tigers last year, she clearly established herself as the matriarch. At sixteen years old, she exuded elegance and grace, carrying herself with the poise of royalty. She commanded respect and made it known that it was her way no matter what. We got to experience her playful side as she settled into her new home. She would spend hours playing in her pool, simply soaking or dragging her toys in the water to destroy. Her favorite toy was a huge ball she would roll around or lay on top of.  Indira enjoyed enrichment, especially watermelons she carried proudly as ‘prey’ until she demolished them.

A few weeks ago, we noticed that she wasn’t feeling well. We kept a close eye on her, but on the third day with no change, we took her to Oregon State University for a CT and complete exam. What they found was completely shocking and devastating. Indira had a massive degenerative disc rupture that was severely crushing her spine, likely caused by genetics, and surgery was not an option. After an intense consultation with our veterinarian, the team at Oregon State University, and our staff, we made the heartbreaking decision to let her go.

Losing Indira was a shock, and we are still reeling from it. She was an amazing tiger, and we can’t believe she’s gone. Although she was with us for such a short time, her presence left an indelible mark on our hearts . . .

Indira’s History:
In the fall of 2022, the Compound Manager at S&R Productions got news that the Secret Garden in Las Vegas was closing. The Mirage had been sold and all animals had to be re-homed. This was unexpected and heartbreaking for the keepers who had cared for the cats their entire lives.

After an extensive search and recommendations from the Compound Manager, the Sarmoti Foundation selected WildCat Ridge Sanctuary to provide lifetime care for six tigers: Svengali, Cosmo, Indira, Rajiv, Hirah and Maharani. We were thrilled and humbled for the opportunity and have worked closely with the original keepers to make the tigers’ adjustment as easy as possible.

Indira, sister to Rajiv, is curious about everything around her and so determined! We see her wheels turning as she works out the problems to get where she wants to go. We love hearing her welcome chuffs letting us know she’s doing well.

The tigers have been very well taken care of before arriving at the sanctuary and we count their former keepers as part of the WCR family!