Emaciated Sumatran tiger on brink of death

A critically endangered Sumatran tiger at a notorious Indonesian zoo where hundreds of animals have died in recent years is emaciated and on the brink of death, an official said on Wednesday. Melani, a 15-year-old female, has been suffering from a serious digestive disorder for the past five years due to a diet of tainted chicken which has pushed her weight down from 80 to 60kg. "She is a hopeless case," said Tony Sumampau, chairman of Indonesia's zoo association who oversees Surabaya Zoo, where the tiger lives. "Her days are numbered, she could die any time. She's in a pitiful state and losing more and more weight." Sumampau added that Melani was unable to digest any food, and that the zoo might put her down