Northumberland Zoo says goodbye to Bert the Raccoon

The 13-year-old moved to the Eshott zoo in 2010 at the age of nine months - after having been kept as a pet.

Staff noticed that Bert was slowing down ‘quite significantly’ and so took him to the vets who identified lung and heart issues.

Northumberland Zoo wrote to their Facebook followers: “Bert has inspired and touched the hearts of so many staff and visitors over the years.

"He has been an amazing ambassador for his species.”

Fans of the raccoon shared their memories with Bert as they looked back on the visits they’d paid him over the past 13 years.

One wrote: “Thank you so much for letting us experience him and all the others. Rest in peace baby man, thanks for letting me hold your cute little hands.”

Another said: “We were so lucky to meet Bert on our encounter in 2020. Memories to last a lifetime with this wonderful boy. So sad to hear that he has passed away.”

Curator Maxine Bradley told the Northumberland Gazette: “It has been an incredibly sad time losing Bert.

"It’s one of the hardest parts of the job that people seem to forget about but losing such a charismatic animal is so difficult. It has really hit home.

“Bert was 13-years-old which is so long lived for raccoons who tend to live to around three in the wild. It is a testimony to Bert, the keepers and the zoo.”

The zoo is still home to nine raccoons.

It added: "If you want to see and experience raccoons, then you can see them at a number of zoos in the UK and in the wilds of the Americas - please don't encourage the trade of these animals as pets."