Zoo mourns Strike, one of oldest male cheetahs around

A favorite of zoo visitors, Strike was known for his curious nature and loud purrs

The Oregon Zoo said goodbye to Strike, an elderly cheetah, who was humanely euthanized yesterday following a decline due to his advanced age. At 15, Strike was considered geriatric for his species and was the second-oldest male cheetah living in an AZA-accredited zoo.

The median life expectancy for cheetahs in accredited zoos is just over 12 years, with females tending to live longer. In the wild, males only live to about 8, according to the Cheetah Conservation Fund.

“Strike lived a long life, and he’ll be very missed,” said Anne Lauerman, a keeper in the zoo’s Africa area. “He shared a close bond with his care staff, and we gave him a lot of special attention as an older cheetah.”

Strike was born in Texas in 2010 and arrived at the Oregon Zoo in 2011 with his brother Ranger, who died in 2022. He was popular with zoo guests and appeared in many visitor photos over the years napping in one of his favorite spots — directly in front of a large window.

According to Lauerman, Strike loved being brushed, and he was known to purr very loudly to greet his care staff in the mornings. As a geriatric cat, he slept on fluffy, comfortable bedding to ease his stiff joints, and he received regular cold laser therapy in addition to his brushing sessions.

“He had a ring of spots around his forehead,” Lauerman said, “so we liked to call him our little prince.”

Strike will be remembered for his curious personality, and the way he inspired people to learn about his wild counterparts. Wild cheetah populations have plummeted over the past 50 years, dropping by nearly 50% and putting the species dangerously close to extinction. 

“We’ve gone from around 14,000 cheetahs on the planet to just over 6,500 in a very short time,” said Lauerman. “Hopefully, Strike’s legacy will help inspire a new chapter in the conservation of these amazing cats.”