Siegfried & Roy's Iconic White Tiger Mantecore Has Died

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Siegfried and Roy

Mantecore, the iconic white tiger belonging to magician duo Siegfried & Roy, passed away on March 19, at the age of 17, according to an announcement made by the entertainers.

The famous tiger, whose name is often misspelled as "Montecore" in press reports, performed in thousands of stage shows with Roy Horn and Siegfried Fischbacher during their legendary run at The Mirage in Las Vegas, which set the record for most-visited show on the strip.

Siegfried & Roy's magical extravaganza at The Mirage ran from 1990, until a tragic night in 2003 when a 7-year-old Mantecore attacked Roy, biting into his neck and causing massive blood loss and life-threatening wounds.

Despite the uncharacteristic mauling, Roy demanded that no harm come to Mantecore, and spent years with the white tiger during his recovery until Mantecore's passing last week.

In a statement made after the tiger's death, Roy said "The world has lost one of its most majestic creatures and I have lost a brother. I will forever believe it was his concern for my safety and well-being that caused him to act as he did on that night long ago. We spent many hours together and he never failed to bring me great joy and wonderment. He is now playing with his siblings in White Tiger heaven."