Overview
- Zoo staff found Kai unresponsive on Thursday, June 4, 2026, and a veterinarian later confirmed his death.
- Kai had been taken off public display on March 1 after a sharp loss of appetite and returned to the outdoor exhibit on May 25 before his collapse.
- Fukuoka City Zoo will set up a floral offering stand in front of the tiger house from June 5 to June 18 for visitors to pay their respects.
- Officials say Kai likely died of old age but the exact cause remains under investigation and could be clarified by veterinary follow-up.
- Born in May 2006 at Nihondaira Zoo and moved to Fukuoka in 2007, Kai lived about 19 years at the zoo which now has one male tiger, Huey, while Tokuyama Zoo's 18-year-old Miruru is reported as the new oldest in Japan; Amur tigers are an endangered subspecies with typical captive lifespans around 15–20 years.