Beloved 14-year-old meerkat Kwando dies: Calgary Zoo

Kwando, a 14-year-old meerkat, died at the Calgary Zoo earlier in December.

The Calgary Zoo said goodbye to one of its favourite meerkats earlier this month.

They posted a farewell to 14-year-old Kwando, who was born in 2011 at the London Zoo along with his brother Karoo.

Kwando was diagnosed with cancer and was euthanized.

“After a sudden onset of neurological symptoms, Kwando was quickly brought to our Animal Health Centre. An ultrasound revealed extensive changes to his liver and multiple masses in his spleen, raising serious concerns for cancer,” the zoo said on social media.

“As his neurological condition rapidly declined, our Animal Health team made the difficult but compassionate decision to euthanize him. A necropsy later confirmed the findings, including likely spread to his lungs, along with age-related degenerative changes affecting his kidneys, joints, and spine.”

Kwando and Karoo moved to the Calgary Zoo in November 2012 and the zoo said he is deeply missed by zoo staff.

“Meerkats are highly social animals, known for their cooperative nature and alloparenting—where group members help raise the young,“ they said. ”Though his biological paternity wasn’t confirmed, Kwando was an active and attentive caregiver to pups ‘Kalahari’ and ‘Khoti’, born here earlier this year.

“Kwando was a cherished member of our zoo family and will be deeply missed,” they added. “Please keep his dedicated caregivers in your thoughts during this difficult time.”