The North Carolina Zoo announced that its 12-year-old cougar named Heath has died.
In a social media post, the Zoo said Heath developed chronic kidney disease and age-related mobility challenges that began to impact his quality of life.
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The zoo said that after careful consideration, the animal care and veterinary teams made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him.
"Heath was an outgoing cougar and a fan favorite. My favorite part of the day was being loudly greeted with chirps, purrs, and meows. Curiosity and keen observations led him to recognize and sometimes interact with certain employees and guests," his keepers said.
Heath came to the NC Zoo in 2014 alongside his sisters, Olive and Willow. The three of them were orphaned in the wild in Oregon. Heath and Olive stayed at the NC Zoo. Their sister Willow moved to another facility.
Zoo staff said they are grateful for the years they had with Heath, and he will be deeply missed.