Downtown Aquarium's 21-year-old white Bengal tiger 'Marina' dies

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Downtown Aquarium announced its white Bengal tiger died over the weekend.

The tiger, Marina, was part of the Downtown Aquarium family for more than 20 years.

The Aquarium said she was known for her fierce spirit, beauty, and love of shredding phone books.

Jim Prappas, Director of Animal Operations, sent ABC13 the following statement:

"It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Marina, our 21-year-old Bengal tiger. At 21 years old, Marina lived well beyond the average life expectancy of tigers in human care and was recognized as the oldest Bengal tiger, and the oldest of any tiger subspecies, in an AZA-accredited facility nationwide, which we attribute to the immense love and care of our incredible team, who cared for her every day. Marina first arrived at the Downtown Aquarium when she was just under a year old and quickly captured the hearts of guests and staff alike with her striking beauty, spirited personality, and playful love of shredding phone books. In her honor, the Downtown Aquarium is donating $2,100, representing each year of her life, to the Tiger Conservation Campaign, supporting efforts to protect endangered tigers in the wild. Marina will be deeply missed, but her legacy lives on through the joy she brought to thousands of visitors and the conservation work done in her name."