Mystery had been kept in a small cage with a concrete floor with another, larger male tiger named Salem. They shared a barren den box but no enrichment or fresh bedding—ever.

The photographer who took the photo above said, “This was such a special moment for me. The first time Mystery went out on the playground she ran the best she could from one end to the other and was so excited. She has a limp so it was more like a gallop. Seeing her have that much space brought tears to my eyes.”

Mystery’s limp may be from arthritis, an injury, or loss of muscle mass due to starvation. The staff at In-Sync are keeping her under observation to see if she continues to limp after a couple months of good nutrition and exercise. If the limp persists, they will sedate and X-ray her to see what is going on and how to fix it.

Another mystery that puzzles everyone is why the females from this location have had their tails docked. There is no obvious humane rationale for doing this to tigers.