THE Wildheart Trust is mourning the death of beloved tigress, Antonella.

Rescued from a circus, the big cat arrived at the Sandown sanctuary back in June, 2018, together with her feline friends Zoppa and Natasha.

"It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of our beloved tigress," announced the sanctuary. 

"Very few words do justice to Antonella. She was a phenomenal tiger.

"Such beauty, such strength, and unrivalled intelligence; a huge loss for us all. 

"Antonella was 17 years old, which is a great age to reach, especially given the trauma she suffered in her earlier life.

"We take comfort in the fact she enjoyed a life of luxury during her years with us and we are honoured to have been given the time we had to get to know such an amazing animal."