Faculty's veterinary experts cast a tiger's eye over Fushan

Abstract

To receive a tiger as patient in the Faculty's Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital (OVAH) these days may not be that unusual anymore, but every time that happens one cannot escape the lasting impression such a magnificent and majestic beast has left. This time it was Fushan, a nine-year old male Siberian tiger from Cheetah Experience in Bela-Bela in the Limpopo Province. Fushan was born in South Africa and donated to Cheetah Experience (at that time they were still located in Bloemfontein) when he was around five months old because of an existing hip problem. He was always likely to need medical intervention at some stage in future and the centre – home to a number of endangered and threatened species - always accepted animals with special needs.