For years, the three big cats at the Nebraska zoo have pleased visitors by pouncing on pumpkins around Halloween, preening for photos and reclining on rocks in their enclosure.
The snow leopards have been described as ‘silly, bubbly and handsome’ by the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. They were a prominent attraction at the zoo, bringing a taste of mountain magnificence to the Great Plains.
However, the zoo said on Friday that the leopards – Everest, Makalu and Ranney – had died due to Covid-19 complications, roughly a month after testing positive for the coronavirus. While scientists continue to research the virus’s impact on animals, individuals of numerous species have been infected and perished in zoos all over the world. Only a few thousand snow leopards are thought to exist in the wild, making them susceptible to extinction.
The zoo said in a statement that the Lincoln cats ‘were treasured by our entire community within and outside of the zoo. This is a painful loss for all of us, and we are all grieving together.’
Post Your Comments