Zookeepers at the Midland Zoo are mourning their oldest polar bear, 16 year old Homer, who was found dead this morning after his feeding.
The other two polar bears have been removed from the exhibit and are now being cautiously monitored by veterinary staff. Zookeeper Sara N. Getty said, “Homer was a very curious and playful polar bear and we will miss him terribly.”
Zoo director Chris P. Bacon said, “We will do everything in our power to determine how this bear died. Animal welfare and the preservation of species are our primary goals here at the zoo.” Dr. Shanda Lear, senior staff veterinarian at Midland Zoo, said that the zoo will perform a necropsy to try to determine the cause of death. However, according to Dr. Lear, we will not know the results for several weeks.
Polar bears have thrived at the Midland Zoo since 1985. Our unique exhibit allows the bears to engage in natural behaviors, 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.
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