You’re finally free, Sven – September 2024
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!
