Farewell to ‘Kruger’

It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the unexpected passing of our beloved 12-year-old slender-tailed meerkat, ‘Kruger’.

Kruger was born at the London Zoo, UK in August 2011 where he spent his first year before becoming part of the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo family in November 2012. During his time with us, Kruger was a ‘conservation superstar” having successfully sired an incredible 17 pups in four litters, between 2014-2015, as part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP). A necropsy revealed that heart failure due to cardiac disease was the cause of his sudden death.

The median life expectancy for his species is 9.8 years under human care (versus an average of 6-8 years in the wild). At 12-years of age, Kruger lived a long and wonderful life with us – a testament to the exemplary care he received from his dedicated caregivers.

Saying goodbye to the animals we love and care for is never easy, but it is especially hard when the loss is unexpected. We know that our community will be as saddened by this news as we are. Please keep our Animal Care, Health & Welfare team in your thoughts during this difficult time.

Photo: unidentified individuals.