Tiger caught in deadly love triangle

After months of suffering through a feline love triangle, a female tiger has choked her mate to death at an El Paso Zoo, Reuters reports.

The attack came only a few hours after the two tigers had been seen nuzzling each other. According to reports, Seri, a three year old Malayan tiger, bit down on the neck of Wzui, her mate, choking him to death.

As soon as the attack was reported, the zoo officials shut down the tiger exhibit, and checked on Wzui but it was too late- he was already dead.

Zoo officials reported that they had seen no indication that the attack was coming, reports the New York Daily News.

"It took us completely by surprise, the staff is shocked," said Steve Marshal, the El Paso Zoo's director to Reuters.

Staff believe that the killing was probably due to jealousy- a new tiger from a zoo in Tulsa had been brought in nine months ago. Wzui was reportedly making eyes at her.

This had been occurring for a while; a press release dated June 14 stated that "the male tiger Wzui likes both females, but the two females don't like each other."

"The girls are jealous of each other," collections Supervisor Griselda Martinez said.

As Malayan tigers are a critically endangered species, both Seri and Wzui were on loan from other zoos as part of the American Zoo Association's Species Survival Plan.