Shasta at the Houston Zoo
Click on the arrow in the screen below to activate the livestream. See if you can find Shasta!
Shasta and Sasha
The mascot of the University has been a cougar since 1927. The mascot was selected by our then-professor John W. Bender. Coach Bender joined the faculty after having served as the head football coach at Washington State University. During his tenure at Washington State, he became fond of the WSU mascot (a cougar). When he arrived here, the students were looking for a name for the student newspaper (the school’s first extracurricular activity). He suggested that they call the newspaper the Cougar because of the grace, power and pride that the cougar embodies. The name was unanimously agreed upon. From that time on, all University of Houston student groups and activities have been associated with cougars.
Shasta is the name of the very first cougar that ever represented the University of Houston. The name was chosen from the Alpha Phi Omega’s “Name the Mascot” competition in the Daily Cougar. The winning entry was from then-student Joe Randol.
However, after the death of Shasta V in 1989, the University has not purchased another live cougar. There has been continuous debate and various attempts to resume the tradition, but none of the attempts have proven successful. So, the debates rage on.
Today, Shasta has morphed into a costumed student but still maintains the spirit of the Coogs. Shasta has been joined by a new “female” costumed mascot named Sasha. Many of the alumni were perplexed by this as Shasta was also female.
The Houston Zoo is proud to be the home of Shasta VII and his brother, Louie!
Louie watches the crowd from above at the Houston Zoo.
From 2011 to 2022, Shasta VI and female partner Haley acted as ambassadors for their counterparts in the wild while representing the spirit of the University of Houston. After their passing, Shasta VII and Louie came to the Houston Zoo in late 2022. A rancher found them orphaned as cubs in Washington. Unable to survive on their own, the Zoo gave them a new home. Here, the cougars serve as the mascots for UH and embody the cougar spirit dating back to 1947.
The longstanding partnership between the University of Houston Alumni Association Foundation and the Houston Zoo supports the care and well-being of Shasta VII and Louie, as well as the 5,000+ animals at the Houston Zoo. UH alumni can see Shasta VII and Louie in their habitat daily via the live camera feed. Shasta VII and Louie are strong and resilient, a fitting trait as ambassadors for all cougars in the wild while carrying the responsibility of representing the cougar spirit of the University of Houston.
Through this partnership, UH alumni are actively supporting the Zoo’s mission of connecting communities with animals, inspiring action to save wildlife. That ranges from free admission for current UH students, the special Guarding of the Rings for the spring and fall graduating classes and celebrating Zoo Lights each winter with UH as a Supporting Sponsor. The Houston Zoo thanks you for your role as an alumnus of a university supporting the Zoo’s wildlife-saving work! To show your support, please visit Shasta VII and Louie during an upcoming Zoo visit. Reserve your tickets here or symbolically adopt a plush Shasta here.
