Riverview Park and Zoo is mourning the loss of one of its longtime residents.
The Peterborough zoo has announced the death of Ali, a serval cat who had been part of the Riverview family for more than 15 years. She was just shy of her 23rd birthday.
Ali arrived at Riverview Park and Zoo in 2010 as a donation from the Toronto Zoo and became a favourite among staff and visitors for her distinctive markings and personality.
Her resilience also became part of her story.
In 2020, Ali broke her right front leg in a fall and ultimately lost the limb. Zoo officials say she quickly adapted to life on three legs and continued to be a popular attraction for visitors of all ages.
For much of her life at Riverview, Ali lived alongside the zoo’s two other servals, Friday and Kabala. Following their deaths, she spent her remaining years sharing space with Torty, the zoo’s African spurred tortoise.
Servals typically live between 10 and 12 years in the wild, according to the zoo, but can live beyond 20 years in captivity.
Ali was nearly 23 when she died.
Riverview Park and Zoo says Ali will be missed by visitors, staff and the caregivers who looked after her over the years.
