Uno the Panther Dies at the Naples Zoo

The famous Florida panther, who was blinded by a shotgun blast before taken in at the zoo, died unexpectedly on Sunday.

Sad news: Uno, the blind Florida panther who had become a star attraction at The Naples Zoo, died on Sunday following a surgical procedure.

Uno had quite the story of survival: He had been found in the Everglades suffering from shotgun blasts to the face and hindquarters. He was emaciated and surviving off of road kill. After recovering at the Animal Specialty Hospital of Florida and Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, he found a home in Naples in 2015. He became a mascot of sorts at the zoo, known for his striking blue eye. Naples' RipTide Brewing even created Uno Ale to help raise money for panther conservation.

Uno had undergone surgery late last week to remove an ulcer in his eye. During recovery, he stopped breathing and passed away. A necropsy will be done to possibly determine a cause of death (see Facebook post below).

The zoo will be accepting tokens of remembrance that will be displayed at the panther exhibit. The zoo's other rescue panther, Athena, will continue to reside in the exhibit.