Red River Zoo bids goodbye to Elvira the Pallas' cat

Elvira, believed to have been the oldest female Pallas' cat in North America, died Jan. 4, 2022, at the Red River Zoo in Fargo.

By David Olson

January 19, 2022 at 12:33 PM

FARGO — Elvira, a Pallas' cat that made The Red River Zoo her home for many years, has died.

Elvira, who was 13 1/2 years old when she died on Jan. 4, was believed to be the oldest female Pallas' cat in North America.

She was born at the Bramble Park Zoo in Watertown, South Dakota, and arrived at the Red River Zoo in 2009, where she had two litters of kittens.

Elvira's kittens also had kittens, and those kittens had kittens, making Elvira a great-great-grandmother.

Zoo officials marked Elvira's passing with an announcement that stated: "We are grateful for the time that we had with her and the opportunity she had to advance the Pallas' Cat SSP (Species Survival Plan) conservation initiatives."

By David Olson

I'm a reporter and a photographer and sometimes I create videos to go with my stories.

I graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead and in my time with The Forum I have covered a number of beats, from cops and courts to business and education.

I've also written about UFOs, ghosts, dinosaur bones and the planet Pluto.

You may reach me by phone at 701-241-5555, or by email at dolson@forumcomm.com.