North Carolina Zoo Puts Polar Bear Down
The NC Zoo in my book is one of the best and I’ve visited a lot of zoos. I love the set up and its great for photographers and they really seem to take good care of the animals they have. The Polar bears is always one of my favorite exhibits and its sad news to hear that one of the two bears had to be euthanized today. Masha was one of six polar bears that US Fish & Wildlife Officials confiscated from a traveling circus in Puerto Rico that was mistreating the bears. The NC Zoo received two of the six bears in 2002; they were both in poor condition. I remember going to the zoo not long after they arrived and being appalled at the condition they were in. These photos are ones I took last year on my annual visit and they had put on some weight and were looking much better.
Masha over the past week has stopped eating lost his ability to stand or walk so today the zoo medical staff performed exploratory surgery.
Exploratory surgery this morning revealed gastric ulcers, bladder and kidney infections, pneumonia and other physical problems. The surgery additionally revealed that he was suffering neurological problems that had rendered him unable to walk or stand. He had stopped eating more than a week ago.
Wilhelm the other polar bear continues to suffer from the years of neglect but there is nothing that suggests that his condition is as bad as Masha’s was. He is still on display and visitors can see him everyday.
That’s so sad the polar bear was mistreated and had to be put down as a result of neglect. I don’t understand people who mistreat animals.
Also, thanks for the link to the blog I write. I was just thinking I wanted to add you to our blogroll as well, which I will do. So I’ll be stopping by more often, as I visit the blogs on our blogroll daily.
Comment by Kristine Shreve — June 14, 2007 @ 10:27 am