Riverview Park and Zoo Mourns the Loss of Beloved Serval Ali

By Scott Arnold

A familiar face at the Riverview Park and Zoo has passed away, with staff and visitors saying goodbye to Ali, a serval cat who was just shy of her 23rd birthday.

A familiar face at the Riverview Park and Zoo has passed away, with staff and visitors saying goodbye to Ali, a serval cat who was just shy of her 23rd birthday.

Ali was a longtime resident of the Riverview Park and Zoo, arriving in Peterborough in 2010 and becoming a familiar face to zoo visitors and staff. (Photo courtesy of Riverview Park and Zoo)

Ali arrived at the zoo in 2010 after being donated by the Toronto Zoo, and quickly became a familiar and popular animal with her distinctive markings and personality.

Her time at the zoo also included an unexpected challenge. In 2020, Ali broke her right front leg in a fall and ultimately lost the leg. She adapted to life on three legs and continued to thrive, remaining a favourite among zoo staff and visitors.

Her time at the zoo also included an unexpected challenge. In 2020, Ali broke her right front leg in a fall and ultimately lost the leg. She adapted to life on three legs and continued to thrive, remaining a favourite among zoo staff and visitors.

Ali spent more than 15 years at the Riverview Park and Zoo, where her distinctive markings and personality made her a favourite among staff and visitors. (Photo courtesy of Riverview Park and Zoo)

For much of her time at Riverview Park and Zoo, Ali shared her space with two other servals, Friday and Kabala. Kabala arrived at the zoo in 2001 and passed away in 2018, while Friday arrived in 2004 and remained at Riverview until her passing in 2023. After both of them passed away, Ali spent her final years alongside Torty, the zoo's African spurred tortoise.

Ali was a longtime resident of the Riverview Park and Zoo, arriving in Peterborough in 2010 and becoming a familiar face to zoo visitors and staff. (Photo courtesy of Riverview Park and Zoo)

Servals typically live about 10 to 12 years in the wild, while those in captivity can live beyond 20 years. Ali was just shy of turning 23 when she passed away.

With Ali's passing, the Riverview Park and Zoo is now without a serval, bringing the chapter of these distinctive wild cats at the zoo to a close, at least for now.


Scott Arnold
is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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