Beloved gray wolf matriarch dies, California zoo says. ‘Huge gap in our hearts’
The matriarch of the gray wolf pack at a California zoo was euthanized after vets found a large tumor in her abdomen, officials said.
A vet team discovered the tumor during the wolf’s routine annual checkup on Wednesday, Nov. 8, Oakland Zoo officials said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The tumor was untreatable, and zoo officials decided to put her down “because of the pain and suffering it was causing” Siskiyou, the “beloved mother of Oakland Zoo’s gray wolf pack of six.”
The zoo’s animal care team brought Siskiyou’s body home “to give the pack time to understand her passing,” since family is important in wolf packs, officials said.
The wolf came to the zoo in December 2017 from a conservation center in Montana and was introduced to a male named Sequoia, officials said. She gave birth to their four pups in May 2019, and together the wolves raised their little family and “enjoyed their sprawling habitat” for 4.5 years.
The keeper who cared for Siskiyou since the wolf first arrived reflected on her incredible life.
“Siskiyou had quite the life. From growing up in Montana, to raising 4 amazing offspring,” the keeper said. “In some sense, she came the farthest of all the wolves in the pack (both physically and psychologically). Her absence leaves a huge gap in our hearts and her family.”
The team is keeping a close eye on the rest of the pack “as they absorb the loss of their matriarch,” officials said.
“They continue to serve as ambassadors to their wild counterparts, educating guests about the complexities of human-wildlife conflict that wolves face in the wild. Our hearts are with sweet Siskiyou, and the dedicated Animal Care team that cared for her with passion and love.”
This story was originally published November 9, 2023 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Beloved gray wolf matriarch dies, California zoo says. ‘Huge gap in our hearts’."
