Three-legged puma remembered with memorial

A memorial has been unveiled at a wildlife park in honour of Nigel, a three-legged puma who became a visitor favourite before his death last year.

The statue of Nigel sits outside his former enclosure at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in Friskney, alongside a memorial board detailing his challenges and triumphs.

Steve Nichols, owner and CEO of the wildlife park, said people had been visiting from all over the county to have their photo taken with the sculpture.

"I cannot go anywhere in Lincolnshire without people mentioning Nigel's name," he said.

Nigel arrived at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park with exotropia - a condition where both eyes turn outward - when he was about 10 months old.

"He came to us as a really nice, skinny little cat who was very timid and very frightened," Nichols said.

"He developed a bit of an affinity with me and we ended up being quite good mates."

After settling into his new home and becoming something of a social media star, Nigel's progress was halted when he developed a tumour that had to be removed.

But his challenges did not end there.

Nigel later needed surgery after swallowing a piece of rubber sponge from a toy. He then developed arthritis, which ultimately led to the amputation of one of his legs.

Nichols said when Nigel came out of the amputation, he thought he was a kitten again.

"We had to slow him down," Nichols said. "He didn't realise he'd just been through a major operation."

Over the following years, the park owner said he and Nigel grew even closer, before the puma's health eventually declined.

Despite having overcome so many setbacks, he developed arthritis in another leg and had to be euthanised in June 2025 at the age of 13.

"Rather than him go through any form of pain whatsoever, we made the heart-wrenching decision that his days with us have come to an end," Nichols said.

"The social media outcry was phenomenal. There was a real outpour of sympathy for him."

To honour him, the wildlife park unveiled a £5,500 sculpture made by local artist Andreolli Christian, funded entirely by donations raised within a week.

Nichols said: "It is absolutely wonderful and it's a lasting memory to Nigel."

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