Homer, the polar bear, passed away after 16 good years at the Midland Zoo.
He was found dead in his exhibit this morning. The two younger polar bears Yukon and McKenzie, aged 9 and 10, were removed from the exhibit and are being monitored by veterinary staff.
Sara N. Getty, the zoo keeper, described Homer as very curious and playful. She added that the polar bear will be missed terribly.
Dr. Shanda Lear, a senior staff veterinarian, explained that “[t]he zoo will perform a necropsy to try to determine the cause of death”. But those results will only be available in a few weeks.
The 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.”
Polar bears have thrived at the zoo since 1985. Their exhibit allows the bears to engage in natural behaviors. They are ambassadors for their wild relatives, educating zoo visitors about these threatened animals.
Bacon also confirmed that there were two other deaths at the zoo this month, but that these deaths are unrelated. A 10-year-old female bobcat named Regina died of renal failure and a 6-year-old giraffe named Kenya died after breaking her neck when her horns for caught in her stall.