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'We're all grieving': Naples Zoo plans for Eko's necropsy, establishes conservation fund

The zoo's president says his thoughts are with the 26-year-old bit and hospitalized after sticking his arm into Eko's enclosure.

NAPLES, Fla — The body of the 8-year-old tiger Eko, who was shot and killed Wednesday, is currently waiting for a necropsy, Naples Zoo President Jack Mulvena said to the media Friday.

The necropsy is reportedly scheduled for Monday.

"We suspect in terms of the wound itself that Eko was ultimately shot in the neck, there wasn't an exit bullet wound which means [the bullet] embedded itself," Mulvena explained.

The critically endangered tiger was shot and killed Wednesday by a Collier County Sheriff's Office deputy after it bit a man's arm and wouldn't let go.

River Rosenquist, 26, who worked for HMI Commercial Cleaning, reportedly entered an unauthorized area near the enclosure after the zoo was closed and stuck his arm into the enclosure to either try to feed or pet the animal.

The tiger pulled Rosenquist's arm through the fence, which was captured on body camera video. The animal was later shot to help free the man's arm, which Mulvena said the zoo supports the deputy's decision.

"Our thoughts and well wishes are with River Rosenquist, his family and his doctors in what's going to be a very difficult recovery process," he said. "It was a bad mistake, bad decision but we only wish him well in the recovery."

The state is currently pursuing the possibility of pressing charges against Rosenquist, Mulvena explained. The cleaning service has been suspended as of now.

For the Naples Zoo, the current focus is on the staff, Mulvena explained.

"[The staff] are still grieving, we're all grieving," he said. "We've lost a member of our family in Eko."

Mulvena says he feels "just pure sadness" whenever he thinks of Eko

RELATED: Zoo hoped guests would 'fall in love' with tiger welcomed in 2019, killed by deputy after bite

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation conducted an all-day inspection Thursday which the zoo has not received information back from, the Naples Zoo president explained.

The zoo is also currently in the process of doing an internal investigation and reviewing policies and protocols, but Mulvena says the zoo's policies and protocols were not "responsible in any way for this."

Moving forward, the zoo will reportedly not turn Eko's exhibit, which is now empty, into a shrine.

Instead, Naples Zoo is establishing the "Eko Tiger Conservation Fund." 

All of the donations received will go towards helping save tigers in Malaysia through the efforts of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the zoo wrote on its website.

Eko was heralded as "a great ambassador for his species" when the animal was brought over to Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens in late 2019.

According to the IUCN Red List, there are fewer than 120 adult Malayan tigers living in the wild and are listed as critically endangered. The animal is considered the national symbol of Malaysia.

The zoo says it has funded saving wild tigers for more than two decades and is part of the Tiger Conservation Campaign. The zoo also says it participates in the Malayan Tiger Species Survival Plan to maintain "a genetically diverse population in zoos."

Watch the full news conference down below:

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