Colchester Zoo Katavi

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ZooLeopard

Well-Known Member
Katavi has been mentioned on the website saying she is currently off-show. Does anyone else have anymore info on the subject? I hope she is ok.
 
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I had to google 'Katavi - Colchester Zoo' in order to find out what animal you were talking about. There are loads of reasons why an animal might go off show. I wouldn't get worked up about it, it could be anything.
 
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she has died. ;( Sad time for all involved. My time with Katavi was a short one but has to be the best memory I have. I love her and always will. R.I.P Katavi
 
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This is the announcement from Colchester:

We are deeply saddened to announce the loss of Katavi the hand reared cheetah. Katavi was taken ill on Friday 30th October. She appeared fine in the morning but during Zoological Director Anthony Tropeano’s daily visit at midday she was unable to get up. As the condition had occurred so suddenly it was suspected that a trauma to the spine or hind legs had taken place. Katavi was then transferred to her house and treated with painkillers and anti-inflammatories. The x-rays taken the following day revealed no fractures and an MRI scan at the Animal Health Trust was then arranged.

The MRI revealed an area of infection in the tissues surrounding the vertebrae in the neck and at this stage veterinarians felt confident that this could be treated successfully. Unfortunately despite round the clock care from her keepers, veterinarians and all those involved in her hand rearing the condition became worse and the decision to put her to sleep was made on Friday 6th November.

Zoological Director Anthony Tropeano commented “Friday was probably the worst day of my 25 year career at the zoo. I am very upset to have lost Katavi; she was an extraordinarily special animal to me and has left a hole in many people’s lives that will be difficult to fill. I have many happy memories of her but I am devastated that her life has been cut so short.”

Katavi was born on 2nd June 2008 and was hand reared by Zoological Director Anthony Tropeano and Rebecca Perry Colchester Zoo’s Conservation Officer after she was abandoned by her mother. She featured on Channel five’s ‘Zoo Days’ series where viewers were able to watch her growing up from her earliest days and bonding with Anthony and his two Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Border Collie.

The zoo plans to honour her memory, but at this stage there are no details as to how this will
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It's so sad ...... such an awful lot was invested in ensuring she survived after Uria rejected her and they must have hoped that one day she'd have her own cubs too. The keepers must feel knocked for 6, especially as losing Katavi comes so soon after Leoni (lion) dying as well. With Simba (rhino) also having to be put down earlier in the year, they've lost some of their most 'visible' and appealing (to many visitors) animals. Such a shame, but they would have done all they could.
 
Such a sad loss

Yet more bad news this week - such a sad loss, after Leoni. My thoughts are with Anthony who must be devastated by the loss. :(
 
Andiii said:
Yet more bad news this week - such a sad loss, after Leoni. My thoughts are with Anthony who must be devastated by the loss. :(
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Who is Leoni? Was that another animal at Colchester which has recently died. The oldest Amur Tiger in the UK has just died today at Blackpool. Sad Times.
 
tomzoo123 said:
Who is Leoni? Was that another animal at Colchester which has recently died. The oldest Amur Tiger in the UK has just died today at Blackpool. Sad Times.
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Leoni was a 13 year old lioness that died due to a heart problem on 29th October. She was the zoo's only lioness and a companion for the male Subu.

RIP Katavi. :( You will never be forgotten.....
 
I can only begin to imagine how you are feeling - I will be the same when it's Rajang's time, such a character can soon become part of your life and so sadly missed. At least you have been priviledged to time with her that not many others would have had such an opportunity. I'm sure she will not be forgotten - have no fear of that :)
 
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Awww what awful news - only a small consolation is that they do have happy times together on video from zoo days to remember Katavi by but yet another awful loss for the zoo and its keepers.
 
Absolutely devastating news. My thoughts go out to Anthony mainly as he was the one who gave her a second chance after being rejected. It says about doing something in her memory- perhaps redeveloping the cheetah enclosure and naming it after her ? :(
 
This is a very sad day indeed and I suppose strange the way it fell on remebrance day.

I hardly got the chance to know Katavi but I suppose I won't really.:(

I feel for all the people that helped her.

Andii you won't be alone as it will indeed be a very sad day when Rajang dies. Hopefully that will be a long time yet.;)
 
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I can assure you that she was not the only handreared Cheetah around! Hammerton Park Zoo in Cambridge loaned Colchester her father (Bruno) I know they have at least one adult that was handreared.
 
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