Today we celebrate the life of Bella the cheetah. Bella lived an exceptional life and at nearly 16 years old, she exceeded the life expectancy of most cheetahs in human care.
Bella came to Lincoln Children’s Zoo in 2020 as one of the founding members of our Cheetah Chase program. She was a well-known and beloved ambassador at the Columbus Zoo prior to her arrival here. Due to her high level of training and openness to working with new people, Bella was a huge reason why our program launched successfully.
As she aged, she ran a little slower each year, but she still loved to come outside, run the course, or occasionally just flop down in the grass and roll around. She was lovingly referred to as “Queen Bella” or our “Old Lady.” She preferred interaction with her zookeepers over almost any other reward, often choosing a good scratch from her favorite people over food treats.
Bella had multiple age-related chronic health conditions that continued to progress despite receiving exceptional care. Her health reached a point where maintaining a good quality of life was no longer possible so our animal care and veterinary teams made the compassionate decision to humanely euthanize her.
Bella’s long and remarkable life is a testament to the dedication, expertise, compassion, and respect shown by the entire team who cared for her. She helped educate and inspire countless guests, helped us create one of the Zoo’s most beloved experiences, and played an unforgettable role in the Zoo’s story. She leaves an enormous legacy and will be deeply missed.
Cr : Lincoln Children's Zoo
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