On a warm spring afternoon when many hobby gardeners were tending their flower beds in Schkeuditz, a small town near Leipzig, a tiger attacked a 72-year-old man.
Police officers tracked the tiger to a nearby allotment where he was lying just a few meters from a small fence bordering the gardens. They climbed on to the roof of a car and fired 3 shots into the tiger, killing him “to prevent danger to those present”, police said.
The tiger named Sandokan was a 600-pound 9-year-old owned by Carmen Zander, Germany’s self-proclaimed “Tiger Queen,” who was not present at the time of the attack. Carmen performed her tiger act with various European circuses and shows, most notably Switzerland’s Circus Royal, and participated in major events like the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo.
Zander performing with one of the tigers. Photograph: Dpa Picture Alliance/Alamy Live News.
Carmen rented her tiger act to circuses for 15 years but stopped touring in 2022 and resorted to tiger breeding, petting and selfies popularized by social media to raise money to feed them. She acquired Sandokan and a white female named Saphira who gave birth to 5 cubs. Unfortunately, she made no provision for additional space and the tiger family was confined to a cramped wire cage in her back yard. As the cubs grew, the conditions became unbearable and most likely caused the mauling of the old man who went in to feed them. He was taken to the hospital where he died of his wounds.
No inquiry is planned for the officers who killed Sandokan.
The mayor of the Dölzig district, Thomas Druskat, called for the immediate removal of the enclosure. “It’s unthinkable what might have happened if other people had been injured,” he told the newspaper Leipziger Volkszeitung.
She has previously faced complaints for the animals’ living conditions at the enclosure in an industrial zone of Schkeuditz, where she has kept them since 2016. The district administration office said there were eight tigers living at the facility. And they wanted them gone. The German authorities intervened after the incident with Sandokan and handed over six of the eight tigers to AAP — Animal Advocacy and Protection, one of the best organizations in Europe.
AAP sent a crew to Schkeuditz. After a health check, they loaded the cats into a transport trailer and started their 1,400-mile journey to Primadomus, their sanctuary in Alicante, Spain.
Upon their arrival, Saphira and her family began the mandatory quarantine period, where they received veterinary care and their welfare was closely monitored. Once they passed the health checks, AAP began to gradually introduce them to their new surroundings. They were first given access to transition areas designed to help them become familiar with new smells, sounds and environmental stimuli at their own pace.
Big cats, including tigers, are naturally very cautious animals and need to feel safe when faced with change. That is why we allow them to set the pace of their adaptation.”
Pablo Delgado, Head of Big Cats at AAP Spain
A long-awaited first outdoor experience
When the team was confident that all six tigers were ready, the moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived: opening access to their outdoor enclosure.
On 25 August, the hatches were opened for the first time. As is often the case with big cats, curiosity and caution went hand in hand. During the first few minutes, they carefully observed their surroundings from the entrance before gradually venturing out and exploring every corner of their new environment.
Mother Saphira (white tiger) takes her first steps into the outside enclosure. ©Michael Strohmeyer.
What comes next
A new chapter now begins. The six tigers will continue becoming familiar with this enclosure, which features a pool, shelters, platforms and other elements designed to encourage natural behaviours.
Our priority is to help them regain their natural behaviours, and that takes time. Exploring this new enclosure is another step in that process. Once they feel completely secure and comfortable in their surroundings, they will be able to move into one of the largest enclosures at the rescue centre.”
Pablo Delgado, Head of Big Cats at AAP Spain
With every step, Saphira and her cubs leave behind a past connected to human entertainment and move closer to a new life where they can enjoy the peace, space and respect they deserve.
Three young tigers in their outside enclosure.
We would like to thank Pablo and Bianca at AAP for their dedication and commitment in getting this tiger family to their new home.
We at Tigers in America were happy to provide financial support for their relocation.