Homer, a 16 year old polar bear, the oldest one at the zoo passed away at 7 am in the morning after shortly after his feeding. He was found floating in the pool. The zoo will perform a necropsy to determine the cause of death and the results will not be available for several weeks. Staff say “Homer was a very curious and playful polar bear and we will miss him terribly.” The other two polar bears in the exhibit were taken out and are now being monitored by veterinary staff.

Polar bears have thrived at the zoo since 1985. Their unique exhibits allow the bears to engage in natural behavior. Playing in manufactured snow, digging in gravel and hunting trout in the chilled pool. The bears are ambassadors for their wild relatives, educating zoo visitors about these threatened animals.