(Como Park Zoo & Conservatory)
The Como Zoo and Conservatory said Mumford, a 10-year-old African lion, was peacefully euthanized on Friday.
The beloved Lion had been in hospice care since being diagnosed with an untreatable tumor in his nasal sinuses in December. Mumford’s condition had recently declined.
“We thought we might be saying goodbye in December, so having these last four months with him was an extra gift,” said Senior Zookeeper Jill Erzar.
Mumford was 3 years old when he arrived at Como Zoo in 2019. He was born at the Pueblo Zoo in Colorado on Jan. 14, 2016.
The zoo says that he was known for basking on his favorite perch, watching visitors and spending time with his Lion companion, Maji.
“Mumford had a wonderfully quirky personality that made him impossible not to love,” said Erzar. “He could be a bit of a goofball, sometimes tripping on his morning walk over and then acting like nothing happened. He would hyper-focus on [his] favorite enrichment for days or even months, especially his beloved comfort log. He was always vocal when food was involved, and when he chose to roar, everyone noticed. He even let Maji push him off his favorite bench or rock.
People can share their memories with Mumford and condolences on the Como Zoo’s Facebook page. The zoo also put together a special webpage about Mumford.
Courtesy of KTSP
