Midland Zoo Mourns the Death of Polar Bear, Homer

Homer, a 16-year-old polar bear, passed away at Midland Zoo this morning.

A zoo keeper found Homer dead in his exhibit at 7:00 this morning, an hour after his feeding. The other polar bears, Yukon and McKenzie, were removed from the exhibit after this discovery and are being monitored by veterinary staff.

“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,” zoo director Chris P. Bacon reassured.

Dr. Shanda Lear gave more insight into the zoo’s next steps. As she said, “The zoo will perform a necropsy to try to determine the cause of death. The results will not be available for several weeks.”

Polar bears have thrived at the zoo since 1985. Homer was the zoo’s oldest polar bear and his passing will be mourned by the staff at the zoo.