Taj the Amur Tiger is an 11-year-old who has been living at the Lake Superior Zoo since 2022.

“She knows what she wants and when she wants it,” her keeper Maggie Waters gave The Lift some insight into the big cat’s personality. “She is very happy to lay out in the sun all day and ignore people just like any other cat loves to do. But she is also incredibly smart.”

The zoo is currently training her to get up on a scale so they can get regular weigh-ins.

Taj gets a frozen rabbit treat. Her keeper Maggie explains, “They are predators. So that is a very natural behavior for them to get in there and pull the fur off and get to decide which parts they want to eat.”

Tigers are one of the animals that many look forward to seeing at the zoo. Maggie calls it “a charismatic megafauna.” She’s bright, colorful, and draws attention to her species, which is important since Amur Tigers are endangered.