Obituaries

Elmwood Park Zoo's Beloved Jaguar Dies

A resident of the Elmwood Park Zoo for almost 20 years, Anasazi the Jaguar even graced the zoo's logo and signs.

The Elmwood Park Zoo today issued a release announcing the death of Anasazi, the zoo's beloved jaguar resident of almost 20 years.

According to zoo officials, Anasazi died on Thursday, Feb. 28, of apparent kidney failure resulting from complications with cancer. He was 19 years old.

Veterinarians had been caring for the ailing jungle cat for most of the past year with a special diet and medications and had planned to euthanize the animal to end it's suffering. Anasazi died on his own before that could happen, according to the release. 

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Anasazi came to the zoo in 1994 from a wildlife preserve in Maryland and quickly became popular with staff and visitors alike. His image even graces the logo for the zoo and appears in many of the zoo's advertisements. The cat was the center of a public stir back in May of last year, when a rumor the cat had escaped the zoo and was prowling the streets of Norristown spread on social media. The rumor was unfounded.

Anasazi leaves behind his longtime companion, Cali, a female jaguar who came to live at the zoo in 1996. The pair never bred, given a lack of info about Anasazi's lineage. (According to the zoo, regulations require that info for a breeding plan as outlined by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the governing body of the industry.) 

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The zoo says it "has no immediate plans to add another jaguar to [the] exhibit," but given the remaining cat's advancing age, the zoo is reportedly considering plans for future use of the habitat.

In lieu of flowers, letters of condolence and donations can be sent to the Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, PA 19401. Checks can be made out to the "Elmwood Park Zoo." Donations can also be made online at www.elmwoodparkzoo.org/support

Find more information about the Elmwood Park Zoo on their Facebook page or on their website.


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