Houston Zoo, UH cougar Shasta has died at the age of 11
“Shasta has been a cherished member of our Zoo household and an icon for the University of Houston for over a decade. We are all deeply saddened by this loss.”
HOUSTON — It’s a tragic day for people at the Houston Zoo, the University of Houston and numerous Houstonians who’ve visited the zoo by the years.
Shasta, the zoo’s beloved cougar and UH icon, has died at the age of 11.
Zoo veterinarians had been treating Shasta for progressive spinal illness and declining kidney perform, which is frequent in older felines. The zoo stated his well being deteriorated quickly this week they usually made the heartbreaking choice to euthanize him Thursday.
“Shasta has been a cherished member of our Zoo family and an icon for the University of Houston for over a decade. We are all deeply saddened by this loss,” Kevin Hodge, the zoo’s vp of animal packages, stated in a press release.
UH additionally paid tribute to Shasta on their Twitter web page.
“He represented the spirit and tenacity of UH’s students and alumni, and personified the resilience and strength of the University,” the Coogs tweeted.
Shasta spent virtually his whole life in Houston after coming right here from Washington state as a 5-week-old cub. A hunter had illegally killed his mom and specialists decided Shasta had little probability of survival in the wild.
Houston Zoo’s full assertion about the loss of life of Shasta
The Houston Zoo is mourning the loss of life of 11-year-old cougar Shasta. For a number of months, the Zoo’s veterinary group has been treating him for a progressive spinal illness which has quickly deteriorated over the previous few days. Over the course of therapy, Shasta was additionally discovered to have declining kidney perform, which is frequent in older felines. The animal care and well being groups made a complete evaluation of his total wellbeing and made the troublesome choice to euthanize him on Thursday when it turned clear that he wouldn’t get well.
“Shasta has been a cherished member of our Zoo family and an icon for the University of Houston for over a decade. We are all deeply saddened by this loss,” stated Kevin Hodge, vp of animal packages at the Houston Zoo. “We are committed to ensuring the animals in our care experience the highest quality of life. That includes their day-to-day care as well as end-of-life decisions. With world-class animal keepers, incredible veterinarians, and a complete veterinary clinic, our animals receive the best possible care right up to their last days.”
Shasta would typically be seen at the high of the habitat the place he had a penthouse view of different species and appeared to take pleasure in trying at the elephants from this vantage level. Shasta was cherished by keepers, workers, and company alike and he was finest identified for stalking keepers once they would stroll previous his exhibit or being the heart of consideration for his adoring fan base. His keepers will bear in mind him as a easy, candy, and humorous cougar that by no means didn’t put a smile on folks’s faces. Shasta cherished the consideration University of Houston followers would give him and definitely appreciated the extravagant birthday events together with his favourite meals. He will undoubtedly be thought of fondly by the University of Houston college students, college, and alumni for diligently guarding the rings for every graduating class.
Shasta got here to the Houston Zoo in December 2011 after a hunter illegally shot and killed his mom in Washington state. As a five-week-old cub, Shasta had little probability of survival in the wild.
Thankfully, Washington State Fish & Wildlife brokers had been capable of find and rescue Shasta. When he arrived at the Houston Zoo, a partnership was fashioned between the University of Houston and the Zoo to designate Shasta as the official mascot of UH. Shasta lived a wholesome and energetic life at the Zoo alongside Haley, the Zoo’s feminine cougar.
Shasta was an envoy for his counterparts in the wild whereas faithfully representing the spirit of the University of Houston.”
