On Sunday afternoon, Wild Wonders will hold a virtual funeral for its most famous resident.
Three months ago, Victor a 14-year-old cheetah at the wildlife conservation and education center in Bonsall died from bone cancer. A resident of the 10-acre ranch since May 2007, Victor was Wild Wonders’ premiere animal ambassador. Through thousands of educational presentations over the years, Victor helped raise more than $100,000 for cheetah conservation programs in Africa.
But to Jackie Navarro, executive director and founder of Wild Wonders, Victor was much more than her daily workmate. Even three months later, she struggles to get through a conversation about him without tears.