The Siberian Tiger Sahib comes from the offspring of a German zoo. In 2007 he and his younger half-sister Jill were bought by a circus trainer and trained for circus shows. Thus, the two spent most of their lives in transport vans, small temporary enclosures and in front of audiences in rings. 

When the trainer lost all engagements due to the Corona pandemic in 2020, threatening his financial existence, he ended his circus work. 

He then sought a new home for his tigers where they could enjoy their retirement away from the hustle and bustle of the circus. This is how Jill and Sahib came to TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary of FOUR PAWS in July 2020.

Since then, the two Siberian tigers have shared an enclosure of more than 1,000 m² with a bathing pond, climbing trees, natural vegetation and hiding places. Here they could finally play, romp and determine their own daily routine to their heart's content - without performances and long journeys in cramped circus wagons. In short: just "being a tiger"....

Unfortunately, Jill died in January 2022 from an incurable chronic kidney disease. We would have wished her many more wonderful years with her half-brother.

Fortunately, Sahib has coped well with the heavy loss in the meantime and loves to doze in the sun on the roof of the wooden hut or to occupy himself with the play materials that the animal keepers always come up with anew. Whether it's jute sacks filled with straw and spices, footballs or cardboard boxes filled with sheep's wool and dung ... Sahib enjoys discovering something new every day.

Sahib was born on 04.05.2006. Even for a male tiger he has an impressive body stature with his nearly 225 kg.

After 13 years in the circus, Sahib can finally decide for himself what he spends his time doing. He especially loves to snooze in the sun on his hut or to watch attentively what is happening around him.

On 28.12.2006 Jill, just like her half-brother Sahib, was born in a German zoo. She also lived as a circus tiger for 13 years and performed regularly in the ring. At TIERART, she loved to spend the day side by side with Sahib and enjoyed playing with all kinds of materials. Jill could also often be found in the swimming pond during warm weather enjoying an extensive bath.

Unhappily, we had to say goodbye to our beloved Jill on 25.01.2022....

After the 15-year-old tigress did not want to eat for several days and her condition deteriorated despite medication, our veterinarian came to TIERART to get an idea of the situation.

Already the first examination after the former circus tigress Jill came to our TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary in July 2020 revealed a degenerative kidney disease in an advanced stage. During another check-up in December 2021, the ultrasound did not show any worrying changes in the kidneys, but the results of the blood and urine samples, which we received later from the laboratory, showed something completely different. Jill's levels were extremely poor and we immediately adjusted the medical therapy. 

Chronic degenerative kidney diseases are very common in small and big cats at an advanced age. Unfortunately, they cannot be cured, at best the course can be slowed down a bit and the symptoms treated.

The vet finally confirmed our fears that there was nothing more we could do for Jill except to put her to rest.

Our whole team stayed on site to say goodbye to Jill and we also gave her half-brother Sahib the opportunity to do so, which was very important to us. It was very moving to see him looking at her through the fence and sniffing her. He kept going back to the straw bed where Jill had previously slept during the day and then back to the fence. As if to reassure himself that she really wouldn't wake up again. After a few minutes he left the inside enclosure and went outside.

We are always touched by how sensitive and delicate animals are and how they grieve for their loved ones. Jill and Sahib had a very close bond and he could definitely feel something was wrong with her even in the past few days. Whenever the two of them were together, he stayed right next to her.

We all would have wished Jill many more wonderful years together with her half-brother at TIERART and will miss her very much. Nevertheless, the decision was the only right one to spare her unnecessary suffering.

Jill will always be in our hearts and a stone with a plaque on our grounds will always remember her.