Farewell to an Old Friend

On May 7, we said goodbye to our geriatric female Rocky Mountain goat, ‘Shannon’.

At nearly 17 years old, Shannon was one of the oldest Rocky Mountain goats in North America. The median life expectancy for the species is approximately 12 years. When it became clear that Shannon’s age-related ailments were affecting her quality of life, our Animal Care, Health & Welfare (ACHW) team made the difficult but compassionate decision that euthanasia was in her best interest. Although Shannon was considered geriatric for her species, the high quality of life she maintained during her many years with us is a testament to the thoughtful care our ACHW team delivers to our animal residents through each stage of their lives.

Shannon was born here at the zoo in 2007. During her long life as a member of our herd, she contributed to the well-being of her species with several offspring, including current residents ‘Suncup’ (three years old) and ‘Hara’ (two years old) sired by male resident ‘Yukon’. Many of her other offspring have gone on to have kids of their own at other facilities, including the Assiniboine Park Zoo and the Greater Vancouver Zoo. She leaves behind an incredible legacy here in Calgary and beyond, having touched the hearts of staff, volunteers, and visitors throughout her lifetime with us.

Shannon will be missed by her herd – Suncup, Hara, and Yukon – and by her dedicated care team. Please keep them in your thoughts during this difficult time.