Wildcats

This project would allow indoor and outdoor viewing of wildcats (bobcats), which are native to Kansas, and highlight the history of the K-State wildcat mascot at Sunset Zoo.

Wildcat Mascot

K-State fans know and love Willie the Wildcat. They may not know that back in the day, the mascot was a live wildcat (bobcat) that lived at Sunset Zoo between games.

The K-State Aggies, as they were originally known, officially adopted the wildcat as their mascot in 1922 and a live wildcat named “Touchdown” began to be paraded at games.

Sunset Zoo became the home of the mascot beginning in 1948 under an agreement with Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, which facilitated the presence of the animal at games. For many years, the wildcat was paraded around the football stadium and at Ahearn Field House in a small clear enclosure carried by members of the fraternity.

There were at least 10 live wildcats named Touchdown over more than half a century and they began to be referred to by Roman numerals. Touchdown II longest living of the group and was revered and cheered for 14 seasons from 1922 to 1936.

In the 1970s, the practice of parading a live wildcat at games came under criticism from the animal rights movement. Bobcats in the wild are secretive and shy of humans.

Presentation of the Wildcat at games was halted in 1978, and in December of 1979 the K-State Student Senate voted 15 to 14 to officially end the practice.

Preliminary drawing of how the new habitat might look