Beardsley Zoo’s ‘mayor’ dies at 19
“Wiggles was the consummate animal ambassador and a beloved member of the zoo family. We feel his loss deeply.”
Jim Knox, education curator at Connecticut ’s Beardsley Zoo
BRIDGEPORT — Wiggles, the first, recently-elected mayor of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, died this weekend with his campaign staff and animal care specialists by his side, the zoo announced Tuesday.
Wiggles died Sunday from “advanced age,” the zoo said in a statement. He was 19.
The chinchilla beat out six other candidates to reign as head of the zoo during the campaign for mayor in November.
The mayoral runner-up, Amur leopard Kallisto, will step in to fill the role of mayor through the remainder of the 12-month term.
“Although Wiggles did not serve long as the zoo’s mayor, he
served as an educator for the zoo for nearly two decades,” said a statement from Jim Knox, the zoo’s education curator. “His role was to engage children and adults alike in recognizing the need to understand animals of all species, to highlight the delicate balance between living things and their environment and to foster curiosity. Wiggles was the consummate animal ambassador and a beloved member of the zoo family. We feel his loss deeply.”
Less than two weeks ago, Wiggles issued a statement wishing his constituents a happy and healthy holiday season.
Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim in a statement Tuesday said he was deeply saddened by his fellow mayor’s death.
“Wiggles was truly a delight to all that met him, especially beloved by children who were also able to experience his educational and social calls to classrooms,” Ganim said. “While we know that Mayor Wiggles can never be replaced, we look forward to paying a visit to current and new members of the Beardsley Zoo family in the near future.”