Sad News from Minnesota’s Como Zoo: Longtime Animal Resident Has Passed Away

A heartbreaking note was shared on social media the other day by one of the best zoos in the state of Minnesota.  Sadly, one of their well-known animals over the past two decades passed away overnight.

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Beloved Animal at Como Zoo Suddenly Passes Away

Animal lovers in Minnesota are mourning the loss of a beloved animal at Como Zoo who passed away overnight.

Como Zoo was founded in 1897 when the City of St. Paul fenced in a pasture and accepted a gift of three deer.  Today, there are about 1,700 individual animals that call the zoo home.  Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state of Minnesota and is visited by over 2 million people each year.

If you have visited the zoo over the past few decades, there is an animal that you have most likely seen: Ulysses.  According to the heartfelt post on Facebook by Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, this well-known zebra suddenly passed away.

We are heartbroken to share that Ulysses, our 25 year old Plains zebra, passed away overnight.

 

Uly was born on April 13, 2000, at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and joined Como Zoo in January 2002. If you’ve been to Como in the last 20 years, you’ve probably met Ulysses. He roamed between both African Hoofstock habitats and made friends with whatever species he was living with at the time, whether it was giraffe, tortoise, or ostrich. Zookeepers often joked that he was the “surrogate weird uncle” to many giraffe calves over the years.

 

He weighed around 550 pounds, loved carrots and yam, and could often be found napping in the sun. Uly sired ten offspring, continuing his legacy beyond Como. Uly was the second oldest male Plains zebra in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) population.

 

A necropsy will help us better understand the cause of his passing. For now, our focus is on supporting one another and the animals in our care.
Uly was part of Como for more than two decades and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

- Como Park Zoo & Conservatory Facebook Page