You don't have to know a lot about emus to know that this special guy made a huge impact on the staff of the Denver Zoo, as well as his many fans that were patrons.

Of the thousands (if not millions) of animals that the Denver Zoo has had the pleasure of taking care of since its inception in 1896. This emu really struck a chord within the ears of his caretakers. After being at the zoo for over 20 years, Ralph recently passed away, suddenly, at the age of 26.

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One look at that face and you can tell that Ralph was full of personality. He's truly going to be missed at the Denver Zoo after suddenly passing on February 23, 2023. According to the zoo, Ralph had gone into the animal hospital at the zoo to be evaluated for some chronic conditions has was going through; during the exam, he went into cardiac arrest and did not recover.

Ralph came to the Denver Zoo when he was 3-years-old, and spent 23 years being cared for and loved there at the zoo. The Denver Zoo stated that it was clear that Ralph loved his caretakers and the staff as much as they loved him. He was also very popular with visitors to the zoo and to people outside of the zoo, who would pass by his area on their way to work and such.

From the Denver Zoo's statement:

There were guests that came to the Zoo just for Ralph the emu. Ralph loved people and the attention that came with them. He enjoyed his time people-watching in front of the habitat and watched as people would stop to talk to him.

RELATED: DENVER ZOO'S LEGACY BEGAN WITH A BEAR NAMED 'BILLY'

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For those who did get to meet and know Ralph, it is indeed very sad. For those who didn't, you can take in how the Denver Zoo felt about him.

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