(WJET/WFXP) – The Erie Zoo shared sad news regarding one of its animals.
On Thursday, February 12, the Erie Zoo announced on its Facebook page that Wendy, one of its female sand cats, passed away.
According to the zoo, animal care team members noticed Wendy exhibiting strange behavior on Sunday, noting that she was unable to use her back legs.
“After consultations with a veterinary radiologist and neurologist, an X-ray was taken, which showed Wendy had a fractured thoracic spine,” the post wrote. Zoo staff are currently unsure as to how Wendy sustained the injury.
Following the X-ray, the zoo made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize Wendy following the injury, as her quality of life would not improve and only decline over time.
“The Erie Zoo family, and especially Wendy’s animal care team, are deeply saddened by this tragic and unexpected loss. Wendy showed no signs of injury, illness, or distress in the days prior to this event,” said Roo Kojancie, president and CEO of the Erie Zoo.
Wendy was in the running for several cutest sand cat March Madness-style brackets over the years, hosted by The Sand Cat Species Survival Plan (SSP), a nonprofit organization and resource for the conservation of sand cats.
Wendy was nine years old, which the zoo said surpasses the average sand cat life span in the wild.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.