NORTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — The Lehigh Valley Zoo’s 12-year-old raccoon, Titan, has died.
- The Lehigh Valley Zoo on Friday announced the death of Titan, a raccoon
- Titan, 12, had been diagnosed with a bladder tumor in October
- He came to the zoo after he was rescued from a home where he was treated as a pet
Titan, who lived at the zoo for almost nine years, was diagnosed in October with a bladder tumor, according to a news release from the zoo. Surgery was not an option, but he was given medication, the release said.
“Veterinary and animal care staff closely monitored his condition and evaluated his welfare on a regular basis,” according to the release.
“His favorite treats became grapes and cantaloupe, and he was often seen interacting with his enrichment, especially his pool.”Lehigh Valley Zoo release
“The difficult decision was recently made to euthanize Titan when it became apparent that he was showing signs of discomfort and a diminished quality of life that could no longer be managed by medications.”
Titan came to the zoo in 2014 after officials found him as a pet, officials said.
In Pennsylvania, it is illegal to own a raccoon without proper permits.
“When Titan came to the zoo, he was overweight after previously enjoying a diet that was not appropriate for a raccoon — including a regular treat of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups,” according to the release.
“The zoo’s animal care staff implemented a plan to get him to a healthy weight and engage him in a more active lifestyle.
“His favorite treats became grapes and cantaloupe, and he was often seen interacting with his enrichment, especially his pool.”
He was popular with zoo patrons, and he will be sorely missed, officials said.
The zoo still has one raccoon resident, 11-year-old Meeko.
