‘Cherished’ red panda at Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo dies at age 8
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Star, an 8-year-old red panda at the Henry Doorly Zoo, has died.
In a social media post on Thursday, the Omaha zoo said Star started experiencing seizures Saturday morning.
She was taken to an animal hospital, where she died “peacefully” Wednesday morning, according to the zoo.
Star was known by her animal care team as mellow and a quick learner.
Henry Doorly said she was always eager to see what fruit treats her caretakers had for her, demonstrating consistent engagement in her daily training.
The zoo said she would always participate eagerly, particularly in her medical training and cooperative care skills.
“While we share our loss, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the remarkable commitment shown by our animal care and animal health teams, ” the zoo said. “In challenging times, their focus never wavers — the wellbeing and dignity of the animals remain at the center of everything we do.”
Star had been at the zoo since 2023, quickly becoming a “cherished member” of the zoo community.
