Prowling creature with love of fish popsicles dies, North Carolina nature park says

A prowling creature known for his love of fish popsicles has died at a North Carolina wildlife park, officials said.

Mitchell the cougar was abandoned as a cub but got a second chance when he landed at the Western North Carolina Nature Center in the mountain town of Asheville. Now, more than a decade later, the zoo announced that it lost the “beloved” cat to liver cancer.

“His graceful nature combined with his predatory prowl made him a favorite among guests,” the nature center wrote May 27 on Facebook. “He will be greatly missed.”

Mitchell was born in the wild before he and his brother, Pisgah, were found orphaned in Oregon in 2010. The “tiny” creatures were taken to the Oregon Zoo before they made their way to the WNC Nature Center and learned to acclimate to their new environment, Director Chris Gentile told McClatchy News in a phone interview.

“Cougars stay with their mother for up to two years learning how to hunt and survive,” the North Carolina wildlife park wrote on its website. “Since Mitchell was orphaned at a very young age, he never learned critical survival skills and doesn’t fear humans.”

Mitchell — named after Mount Mitchell, a North Carolina landmark and the tallest point in the eastern United States — lived to be almost 13 years old. He appeared to be in good shape until his health started to decline in recent days, officials said.

“Sometimes when you work at zoos, you have animals that have been fighting illness or you’ve been working with them to keep them healthy,” Gentile said. “And you kind of get a sense that their time is limited. Just like with people — you just get the sense. But with Mitchell, we never had that sense. So, I think that’s why it was such a shock for us.”

Mitchell is remembered for cooling off with trout-filled popsicles on hot days. And when the Carolina Panthers faced the Denver Broncos in the 2016 Super Bowl, officials froze Mitchell and Pisgah’s favorite treats into an ice sculpture that was shaped like the Broncos logo.

“They went to town on it,” Gentile said. “They licked it. They knocked it over. They clawed at it.”

The North Carolina Zoo and Denver Zoo had similar activities to show which team they hoped would beat the other. Though the Panthers lost the game, Gentile said the event garnered excitement for the Super Bowl and showed off the cougars’ training.

Pisgah late died in September 2018, officials said.

Cougars — also called mountain lions, panthers or pumas — are found in the wild in Florida and in some western states. “It is thought that the eastern cougar, the breed native to the Southern Appalachian region, is now extinct,” according to the WNC Nature Center.

‘Silly’ bear known for lounging with all 4 of her paws in air dies in North Carolina

Eury the 22-year-old anteater that charmed TikTok with ‘old man antics’ dies at NC zoo