TORONTO, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- A critically endangered female Sumatran tiger was killed by its breeding mate at the Toronto Zoo Thursday by a sudden bite to the neck, zoo officials said.
The 13-year-old female named Brytne, which has been at the zoo since 1999, was attacked by 3-year-old male Harimau Kayu and in just a few seconds -- before handlers could separate them -- the female's larynx was fatally crushed, the Toronto Star reported.
Maria Franke, curator of mammals at the zoo, said the early morning incident was handled by the book.
"There was nothing that was not done properly here … this is just really bad luck," she said.
Franke said handlers had gradually been introducing the pair to one another in controlled circumstances during the past six months and all indications were that they were becoming acquainted.
She said in recent weeks, the tigers had been nuzzling, head-butting and chuffing -- rushed, brief purring sounds of greeting.
The male was donated to the Toronto Zoo by the San Diego Wild Animal Park in June to help with the captive breeding program.
There are fewer than 500 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, CTV News reported.
This year has been troublesome for the zoo. In October a female polar bear rejected her three cubs and killed two of them. One female African lion died and its mate had to be euthanized in October, while in July, a female white lioness had to be put down because of cancer.
