ONE of Dreamworld’s most famous stalwarts, Mohan the white bengal tiger, has passed away.
Mohan, 17, who came to the theme park’s Tiger Island as young cub from the United States, passed away on Wednesday.
Known as the “King of Tiger Island”, Mohan was one of the original tigers introduced to Dreamworld when Tiger Island opened in 1995.
As Mohan paced around his enclosure over the weekend, Tiger Island Manager Patrick Martin-Vegue – who raised him since he was young – said Mohan had been sick for some time.
Mr Martin-Vegue said Mohan had been off his food and had suspected renal failure.
Mohan, whose name meant “charming”, was born on November 2, 1994.
When full-grown he weighed an average of 180kg and was white with light stripes.
Mohan was father to Rama, Sita, Sultan and Tai who were born at Tiger Island in 1998.
Thousands of visitors to Dreamworld viewed or met Mohan during his 17 years at the park.
A portion of proceeds from photos taken with Mohan, and other Tiger Island tigers, go towards Dreamworld’s Wildlife Foundation’s Tiger Island Conservation Fund, which directly supports tigers in the wild.
Dreamworld has donated $1.4 million to saving tigers in the wild since 2006, making the theme park the world’s largest zoological contributor of funds to the 21st century tiger.
Funds raised help with anti-poaching measures, habitat restoration, education and monitoring in tiger populated countries.
Including Mohan, Dreamworld was home to 15 tigers, including nine bengals and six sumatran tigers, of which three litters have been born at Tiger Island.
The latest additions, rare Bengal tiger cubs, Baru and Ravi, arrived at Dreamworld from Sydney in April and are now 15 weeks old.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/dreamworlds-tiger-island-loses-original-inhabitant-with-death-of-mohan-the-white-bengal-tiger/story-e6freoof-1226403890068
