Tiger from Esso adverts dies age 22

Updated
not for reuse
not for reuse





Tango the tiger who featured in many of the 1990's TV adverts for Esso has died at the age of 22.

The tiger was part of the fuel company's 'put a tiger in your tank' adverts and was living at Woodside Wildlife Park in Lincolnshire since 2014.

See also: Tiger cubs born at London Zoo (pictures and video)

See also: Tigers roam around Philadelphia Zoo on their own catwalks


The wildlife park posted the sad news on Facebook along with the caption: "It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing away of Tango the tiger.

"Tango was Britain's oldest tiger at the age of 22 and has been at Woodside for a happy, peaceful, 2 1/2 year retirement following his rescue from a European circus."


Plenty of the wildlife park's visitors were quick to commiserate and share photos of the beautiful animal.

Sandra Holmes commented: "Such a great loss, glad we got to see him. He was such a majestic creature , know in your sadness you gave him a wonderful loving home in the last years of his life".

Meanwhile Stephen Elsie Elsworth added: "I remember starting my love for Tigers when Tango was the ESSO tiger. So glad that I got to see his majesty and beauty in reality and that his last years were in a happy place at Woodside Wildlife Park."

Tango and his mate Julia were rescued from Belgium two years ago when they were on the verge of being put down, the Telegraph reports.

The park's website states that both Tango and Julia were very poorly treated by their owners before they moved to Woodside.

According to the website tigers usually only live to around 16 years of age, with the oldest recorded tiger making it to 24.

According to Exxon Mobil, Esso first used a tiger in its advertising campaigns after the Second World War.

By the time the 1990s rolled around and Tango took to the stage in the Esso adverts the danger of extinction for tigers was becoming a very real possibility.

As a result Esso and Exxon Mobil became instrumental in the establishment of the Save The Tiger Fund.

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