remembering shasta vi

Beloved University of Houston cougar mascot Shasta VI passes away at 11

Photo courtesy of Houston Zoo

The University of Houston’s mascot and school symbol has passed away. Shasta VI, UH’s live cougar mascot who was housed at the Houston Zoo, died late Thursday, August 4, according to a joint UH/zoo announcement.

The 11-year-old cougar had been suffering from a progressive spinal disease which had rapidly deteriorated over the past few days, according to a zoo treatment. As veterinary staff treated Shasta for the spinal condition, they discovered the cougar’s declining kidney function, a syndrome common in older felines.

When it was clear that Shasta would not recover after a comprehensive assessment, the animal care and health teams made “the difficult decision” to euthanize him, per a zoo statement.

“Shasta has been a cherished member of our Zoo family and an icon for the University of Houston for over a decade, said Kevin Hodge, vice president of animal programs at the Houston Zoo. “We are all deeply saddened by this loss. We are committed to ensuring the animals in our care experience the highest quality of life. That includes their day-to-day care as well as end-of-life decisions. With world-class animal keepers, incredible veterinarians, and a complete veterinary clinic, our animals receive the best possible care right up to their last days.”

The beloved UH icon was often spotted sitting atop his habitat gazing at other species, especially elephants. Zoo staff, who adored him, remember him as a a true apex predator, stalking his keepers as they walked past him. The cougar was a fan favorite, drawing large crowds who would snap pictures of him as he struck graceful poses atop the rocks in his enclosure.

Gregarious, curious, and lively, Shasta VI grew from an adorable, charming cub to a stately symbol of school pride. He was said to enjoy the attention that visitors, especially UH fans, lavished on him, especially during the annual ceremony when he would “guard” the class rings by sitting or standing atop a large red box containing the students’ jewelry.

Shasta VI’s journey to Houston
Shasta VI (his name denotes his No. 6 order in the UH cougar mascot lineage) was just a few months old when he arrived in Houston in December 2011. The young cougar and his two brothers were rescued in Washington state after their mother was illegally killed by a hunter. The cubs’ rescue was pivotal: only five weeks old at the time of their mother’s death, they stood little chance of survival in the wild.

Not long after he arrived in the city, UH and the zoo entered into a partnership on March 24, 2012, where the young cougar was officially adopted and anointed UH’s mascot. UH alum, in the official Shasta bio, note that given his challenging background, Shasta represented “the spirit and tenacity of UH’s students and alumni, and personified the resilience and strength of the university.”

Cherished UH traditions at the zoo included the aforementioned guarding of the rings, as well as Shasta’s birthday parties and his live appearances via webcam at UH football games.

The Shasta name origin story
As for the name: In 1947, the UH chapter Alpha Phi Omega fraternity purchased a cougar from a wildlife preserve, under the condition that the students could crowdfund for the cougar’s cage and habitat, per a UH historical blog.

A naming contest in The Cougar daily newspaper ensued, yielding 225 submissions. Student Joe Randol won with the following submission: “Shasta (She has to). Shasta have a cage, Shasta have a keeper, Shasta have a winning ball club, Shasta have the best.” And with that, a legend was born.

Shasta I, the first UH mascot who served from 1947-1962, was also the originator of the school’s “cougar” hand sign. According to UH lore, Shasta I was in an accident on the way to a game in 1953 and lost one of her front toes. Opposing University of Texas apparently mocked UH by imitating the injury.

The Coogs, however, responded by adopting the gesture as a symbol of pride. Since then, UH alum flash the “cougar sign” by folding the ring finger of the right hand toward the palm.

Remembering Shasta VI
For now, Shasta VI is mourned by UH alum across the nation and world, with condolences pouring in — even from opposing schools.

“With the help of the Houston Zoo, it was our honor at the UH Alumni Association to bring Shasta VI to the UH family,” said Mike Pede, associate vice president for alumni relations, in a statement. “Shasta’s service and symbolism of pride and school spirit will live on with all who went to see him, had their rings guarded by him or saw his handlers adorn his habitat with spirited notes of support. Rest easy good friend.”

Shasta VI passed away at 11 after complications from spinal and kidney disease.

Shasta VI UH university of houston Houston Zoo

Photo courtesy of Houston Zoo

Shasta VI passed away at 11 after complications from spinal and kidney disease.

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pet protection

What Texas pet owners need to know about the dangerous New World screwworm

Photo by Helena Jankovičová Kováčová/Pexels

Make sure these guys are up on their flea and tick meds.

Two New World screwworm cases in dogs are among more than 30 confirmed instances in Texas and New Mexico, prompting warnings Wednesday, July 8 from veterinarians and humane societies that pet owners need to remain vigilant to protect their animals.

The parasite reappeared in cattle in the U.S. in June, more than 50 years after it had been largely eradicated from the country. The pest is actually the larvae of the New World screwworm fly. It eats live flesh and fluids rather than dead material, as the larvae of most fly species do.

Here is what to know about the parasite, the threat it poses to pets and how to protect them:

Screwworm fly larvae can infest any mammal
The fly's migration north from Panama starting in 2024, and through Mexico in 2025, has agriculture officials warning that it poses a threat to the $113 billion U.S. cattle industry, but the larvae can hatch and breed in any mammal, including wildlife, dogs, cats and occasionally humans.

The problem develops when a female fly lays its eggs in open wounds and mucus. After the eggs hatch, the larvae feed for about a week before maturing, dropping to the ground and continuing to develop into an adult fly.

The American Veterinary Medical Association says newborn animals and animals with open wounds or who have undergone surgery or other medical procedures recently are especially vulnerable. Even a tick bite can host an infestation, Aaron Grady, executive director of the Houston Humane Society shelter, said during a webinar on the screwworm.

Screwworm fly The goal is to stop these flies from successfully breeding.Photo by U.S. Department of Agriculture

Infestation signs include restlessness and bad smell
Animal health experts say pet owners in areas where the screwworm is present — southern and southwestern Texas and southeastern New Mexico so far — should watch their animals closely and examine them for wounds, cuts and bites regularly.

Pet owners should look for any maggots or movement in a wound. Other signs include a foul smell and restlessness or anxiety in an animal, or an animal “hyper-fixating on looking or chewing in a certain area of the body," said Melissa Stansell, a veterinarian at the shelter Austin Pets Alive!

Any one of those is reason enough to go to a veterinarian. The affected animal is likely in a great deal of pain, and that can cause death from shock. The larvae also can cause death if they move into vital organs or by causing infections that turn deadly.

Flea, tick medications can stop an infestation
Humane society officials and veterinarians said shelters across Texas are trying to prevent infestations in animals by giving them prescription flea and tick medications. They recommend that pet owners do the same.

“It will kill the larvae as they ingest the blood and tissue,” Stansell said. “The chemical compositions of those products are what kill the actual larval stages of these flies.”

Veterinarians also can treat infestations and animals can recover if pet owners contact them quickly. Stansell said the treatment could include antibiotics.

“It is only fatal if left untreated,” she said.

An effort to eradicate the fly again is underway
The New World screwworm fly is a tropical species and decades ago would disappear each year when colder weather arrived with the fall or winter.

But state and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials aren't waiting for the weather to turn. They've returned to an eradication method that worked decades ago, breeding sterile male flies and releasing them into the wild. The female New World screwworm fly mates once in her monthslong life, and if her partner is sterile, her eggs won't hatch — causing the population in an area to drop and then disappear.

For years, the only factory breeding sterile flies in the Western Hemisphere was in Panama, but the USDA invested $21 million to convert a site in southern Mexico from breeding fruit flies to recently start breeding screwworm flies. The agency also plans to spend $750 million on a new fly factory in Texas, set to open next year.

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