Exmoor Zoo has announced the death of the last black leopard in the UK.

After a 12-week period of palliative care, Exmoor Zoo said this week it is “sad to announce” the death of “Zoysa”, the last captive black (melanistic) leopard in the UK.

Zoysa had reached a good age of 18 years of which the last 13 have been spent at Exmoor. He outlived his wife Ebony who died last year again to age related natural causes.

Danny Reynolds the Zoo’s director and trustee said: “Zoysa was a special one-of-a-kind leopard. Hand reared by Jimmy Club in 2004 he just absolutely loved people and was always waiting for visitors to entertain him as they walked around the zoo. His death will leave a big hole especially for those keepers and volunteers who have cared for him over the years.”

Captive black leopards date back to the Victorian era and seem to be the archetypal “big cat” that purportedly still roam free in the UK. Over the years their sightings have decreased but even today reliable reports of their sightings still occur.

The zoo will enter a respectful period of mourning and over this winter a decision will be made if they will continue with this species. There are a relative few (fewer than five in European zoos) and the enclosure opened by Trevor Beer MBE, a former local renown naturalist, will be refurbished during the winter.

“A sad day but also one to celebrate a life well lived and to remember all the joy and fascination he bought to our visitors,” the zoo said.