The Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero announced its 20-year-old male fossae, Pona, was laid to rest last week.
A fossa is a cat-like creature unique to the forest of Madagascar.
Christa Lam
They became well-known after the DreamWorks movie Madagascar came out in 2005.
Pona was brought to the zoo that same year from a wildlife park in the United Kingdom.
Fossae usually live to their mid-teens but Pona exceeded that average.
Christa Lam
Zoo staff say he enjoyed interacting with his keepers, unlike many fossae in captivity.
The Charles Paddock Zoo is located next to the Atascadero Lake Park off Highway 41.
It’s open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on the zoo, visit www.charlespaddockzoo.org.
