ASHEBORO — Diego, one of the oldest ocelots in human care, died this week at the North Carolina Zoo, just shy of his 22nd birthday.
Diego arrived at the Zoo in 2010 alongside his mate, Inca, in a transfer from the San Francisco Zoo. At the NC Zoo, the pair produced several litters as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. Their third litter, born in April 2011, included a male and a female cub. By 2016, they had raised ten offspring in total, including the fourth litter which was announced at the Zoo’s annual gala that year — bringing the captive ocelot population in the U.S. to 96 at the time.
Originally housed indoors in 2016 the pair were moved outdoors to a new purpose-built habitat in front of the desert dome in North America, which provided a more natural habitat with trees, logs, and shallow pools.
Keepers described Diego as naturally reclusive and quiet, often hidden in the shaded corners of his exhibit — behavior typical of ocelots, which are solitary and primarily active at night.
Native to Central and South America, ocelots are listed as endangered in the U.S., where they are found only in small populations in southern Texas and Arizona. Habitat fragmentation continues to threaten the species across its range.
The Zoo said staff will continue to monitor Inca as she adjusts to life without her companion of nearly two decades.
“Diego’s absence leaves a deep void in our hearts. We are grateful for every moment we had with him, and for the legacy he leaves behind with Inca,” the Zoo said in a statement on social media.
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