Enlarge Image ZSL Melati Sumatran tigers are a critically endangered species, and the London Zoo is trying to help save the majestic cats through a breeding program. A tragic turn on Friday ended in the death of Melati, one of the zoo's female tigers. Zookeepers introduced 10-year-old Melati to potential mate Asim, a 7-year-old tiger that arrived at the zoo 10 days ago. The tigers spent that time in adjoining enclosures to get to know each other and the zoo felt they were ready to interact. When brought together for the first time, Asim attacked and killed Melati. "Zoo staff immediately implemented their prepared response, using loud noises, flares and alarms to try and distract the pair, but Asim had already overpowered Melati," the Zoological Society of London reported, saying these sort of introductions are always considered to be high risk. The World Wildlife Fund estimates there are only around 400 Sumatran tigers left due to the toll from poaching, deforestation and encroachment by people in Indonesia. ZSL London Zoo coordinates a European breeding program and a global species management program. "ZSL's specialists are responsible for ensuring a healthy and diverse population of tigers in zoos around the world," says the zoo. Zoologists and conservation experts have gone to great efforts to assist rare species. Some of these tales have happier endings, as when scientists found a mate for a rare Sehuencas water frog named Romeo. A primate park in the Netherlands turned to a Tinder-like approach to help an orangutan find an eligible bachelor. ZSL London Zoo says its staff members are devastated by the loss of Melati. The zoo will continue its efforts to preserve the species through its breeding program. Rebooting the Reef: CNET dives deep into how tech can help save Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The Smartest Stuff: Innovators are thinking up new ways to make you, and the things around you, smarter.<doc-sep>Melati, a 10-year-old female Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), was killed Feb. 8 at ZSL London Zoo when she was introduced to a 7-year-old male called Asim. Asim had been transferred from Denmark as part of the European Endangered Species Programme, a captive-breeding program. The two tigers had been kept in separate but adjacent paddocks for 10 days before zookeepers opened the door between them on the morning of Feb. 8. Scientists believe that fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers live on their namesake Indonesian island. A male Sumatran tiger named Asim attacked and killed Melati, a female of the same subspecies, shortly after he was allowed to enter her enclosure Feb. 8 at ZSL London Zoo. Zookeepers had kept the two tigers in adjacent enclosures separated by a closed door for 10 days so they could get used to each other. ZSL, short for the Zoological Society of London, had hoped the pair would eventually breed, in a bid to help save the Sumatran subspecies (Panthera tigris sumatrae). But shortly after keepers opened the door between them Friday morning, Asim had “overpowered” Melati before the zoo’s staff could intervene. “Everyone at ZSL London Zoo is devastated by the loss of Melati,” ZSL said in a statement. The 7-year-old Asim arrived in London on Jan. 29 from Ree Safari Park in Denmark, the same day that Jae Jae, a male that had been living at ZSL London Zoo, was sent to Le Parc des Félins, a zoo in France. It was part of a conservation breeding project called the European Endangered Species Programme. Fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers, the smallest tiger subspecies, live in the wild on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Habitat loss, poaching and the disappearance of their prey have cut their numbers from around 1,000 in the late 1970s, according to the WWF, and they’ve been listed as critically endangered by the IUCN since 1996. Conservation scientists hope that successful captive-breeding programs, like the one that brought about the transfers of Asim and Jae Jae, can brighten the subspecies’ prospects. “[I]t’s important that tigers like Jae Jae and Melati are given the opportunity to have cubs with other mates — to ensure genetic diversity across the world’s zoos and ultimately safeguard the future of the species,” Jo Cook, a conservation biologist at ZSL and the European Endangered Species Programme coordinator for Sumatran tigers, said in a January statement. At first, it seemed as if Melati and Asim would be a good match. According to the BBC, Melati had three litters of cubs since 2013, all fathered by Jae Jae. And Melati and Asim had been “chuffing,” a sort of nasal snort that’s typically a non-threatening greeting or sign of interest, Kathryn Sanders, the head tiger keeper at ZSL London Zoo, said in the January statement. Asim also had a good reputation, Sanders said. He’s “a handsome, confident cat who is known for being very affectionate with the ladies in his life — we’re hoping he’ll be the perfect mate for our beautiful Melati,” she added. But shortly after the two cautiously approached each other, the encounter “quickly escalated,” ZSL said. The organization reported that staff members were ready, setting off alarms and flares in the hopes that the distracting noises would force the two tigers apart. But by the time they could get Asim into a separate paddock to allow veterinarians to attend to Melati safely, she had died. ZSL said its staff members were “heartbroken by this turn of events,” despite understanding that the outcomes of such encounters are difficult to predict. “As with all big cats, introductions, however carefully planned, are always considered to be high risk,” the organization said. The Sunday Times reported Feb. 10 that zoo staff were looking for a new mate for Asim. Banner image of a Sumatran tiger at Tierpark Berlin by Captain Herbert via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Citation Linkie, M., Wibisono, H.T., Martyr, D.J. & Sunarto, S. (2008). Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T15966A5334836. Downloaded on 10 February 2019. FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the author of this post. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page.<doc-sep>Heralding his arrival, the zoo described him as "a handsome, confident cat who is known for being very affectionate with the ladies in his life", adding that "we're hoping he'll be the perfect mate for our beautiful Melati".<doc-sep>A male tiger mauled his intended mate to death after they were put in the same enclosure. Asim, a seven-year-old male Sumatran tiger, killed 10-year-old tigress Melati after being moved to London Zoo as part of a European-wide conservation breeding programme. It was hoped that Asim, who came from a safari park in Denmark, would mate with Melati and the pair had been in adjoining pens for more than a week so they could slowly become acquainted with each other. But he attacked her after they were put in the same 2,500sq metre enclosure. Zoo staff desperately tried to distract Asim with loud noises, flares and alarms but he overpowered Melati and killed her. A spokesman for London Zoo said staff were "devastated" and "heartbroken".<doc-sep>
RIP Me lat i. Image : via AP Yet another mark against matchmaking and/or dating in general: a male tiger at London Zoo attacked and killed a female tiger on their very first date. According to the New York Times, the zoo’s tiger keepers yearned to matchmake longtime female Sumatran tiger resident Melati with Asim, a male Sumatran tiger newly transplanted to the zoo from Denmark. Head tiger keeper Kathryn Sanders called Asim “a handsome, confident cat who is known for being very affectionate with the ladies in his life.” “W e’re hoping he’ll be the perfect mate for our beautiful Melati, ” she said, per a January press release from the zoo. But as evidenced by hundreds of Lifetime Original Movies, perfect mates are almost always secret murderers, and Asim was no exception. Though keepers first kept Melati and Asim’s romance at a slow burn, putting them in separate but close quarters, on Friday they decided it was time for the two to take their relationship to the next level. That did not go well, per the Times: The animals “were initially cautious,” but then the introduction “quickly escalated into a more aggressive interaction.” Asim mauled Melati to death. Apparently, the keepers attempted to intervene, but were too late. “Everyone at ZSL London Zoo is devastated by the loss of Melati, and we are heartbroken by this turn of events,” the zoo said in a statement over the weekend. RIP to Melati, and remember, kids: L ove is pain .