SINGAPORE – Omar, the male white tiger which had captured the hearts of many visitors to the Singapore Zoo with its majestic presence, has died at the age of 17, the Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) said on Thursday (June 8).

Omar had been suffering from melanoma, a type of skin cancer, and degeneration of its joints over the last three years. It had to be put down on Wednesday after its health worsened.

A team of keepers and veterinarians had been providing Omar with supportive care in the past few months to ensure that its quality of life was maintained.

However, “recent reassessment had seen worsening of its health and the difficult decision was made to  euthanise it to prevent further deterioration of his quality of life,” the WRS said.

Omar would have turned 18 in September, a lifespan that exceeds the average age of 10 to 15 years for tigers in the wild or between 16 and 20 years for those under human care. 

Describing the white tiger as one of the zoo’s icons, WRS said: “Omar leaves an indelible memory in the minds of all who were awed by its regal stature. 

“Its image is immortalised in waves of photographs capturing it in its finest moments — whether leaping elegantly into the water or lounging stylishly on its rocky outcrop.”

Originally from Taman Safari, Indonesia, Omar arrived in Singapore as a 19-month-old tiger in April 2001. 

It leaves behind two other white tigers in the zoo, Pasha and Keysa, a four-year-old brother-sister duo from the Batu Secret Zoo in Indonesia.